Will of the Maker's Blood
by Queen Among Writers
Summary: One explosion at the Divine Conclave turned Kassandra Trevelyan's world upside down and left her with strange magic of the Fade and Thedas in peril. With her newfound companions and the power of the reborn Inquisition behind her, she must save Thedas from an archdemon magister who created the Blight or die trying. Lead them or fall. Cullen x Trevelyan Icon by @nikranel on Tumblr
1. I: The World Set Ablaze

THE WILL OF THE MAKER'S BLOOD

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Chapter I: The World Set Ablaze

"My feet ache! How much longer are we going to be walking for?" A young woman with a fair complexion whined childishly to the poor elven servants plodding alongside her, sending them into a frenzy of apologies and scrambling for a solution before she began to screech at them. From behind her and seated atop a sturdy mount, a younger woman rolled her eyes blatantly at her cousin's petulant behavior. Leave it to Lady Iva Nicolosia Larissa Trevelyan-Bayart to whine about legitimately everything she could. The entire journey to the Temple of Sacred Ashes was spent in one of two ways: utter, awkward silence between the Trevelyan clan or occupied by Iva's incessant whining in a pitch that rivaled the strength of a mabari's howl. "Kassie, oh Kassie!"

"What is it, Iva?" The younger Trevelyan barely restrained her irritation from tainting her tone in obvious venom, especially surrounding the undesired nickname given to her by the ditzy blonde she shared blood with. Unlike her uncle, Lord Florence Trevelyan and his family of frivolity, Lady Kassandra Divina Trevelyan regarded her status as youngest daughter of the current head of House Trevelyan with the utmost respect. Her respect in upholding the title spitefully contradicted her disdain of the mindset of noble privilege some of her family members preached as if it were a canticle from the Chant of Light. Kassandra watched rather unamused as servants halted the entire party's movements so that they could assist Iva back onto the very horse she complained about not only an hour before. Iva twirled a loose lock of her platinum hair around her index finger while a female servant fretted about her hair.

"Do you believe that we will encounter any attractive Templars while we are there?" A dreamy haze clouded over her eyes which prompted a disgusted scoff from Kassandra. Of all the idiotic thoughts currently running through her cousin's empty head, that one would take the cake as the vainest, she thought to herself in the most sardonic of manners. Kassandra nudged her horse ahead of Iva and her gaggle of tortured servants with a simple flick of the reigns; she had no patience for her cousin's typical antics and being around her for long enough had worn on her moderate reservoir of tolerance for such blatant stupidity. Iva however desired an answer of her cousin closest in age and of the same gender, so, she made one of her servants lead her horse with a training rope up against Kassandra's right side.

"Oh, come on now Kassie! You didn't answer my question." Kassandra praised the Maker and Andraste under her breath that a slick section of her darkened chestnut curls sheltered her right section of her face, from her forehead to the apple of her cheeks, from visibility as she rolled her eyes.

"We are heading towards a gathering of the Chantry to end a massive war between Templars and the Rebel Mages and the issue you are most concerned about is the possibility of attractive men? Have you lost your mind, dear Iva?" The last fragment of her calculated answer was pushed out through a grit jaw and tightly pursed lips. The distance between the Trevelyans and the Temple of Sacred Ashes was taunting her with how close she was to the end yet how far she still had to go. "Besides, don't you have a husband? I highly doubt that he would enjoy realizing that you somehow convinced to let you attend the Conclave unsupervised and that you spent your time flirting with other men instead of strengthening Trevelyan ties outside of the Free Marches." Kassandra stated monotonously as to not give anything away; years of politicking taught her how to play the Game in the viper's nest she called her home. Iva narrowed her eyes at Kassandra snidely when it finally dawned upon her the insult slyly masked through a flat yet civil demeanor.

"I would be strengthening relations with the Chantry by interacting with the Templars that are present at the Conclave. The Order is always clamoring for financial backing as well as political from those in the Chantry and the nobility. After those disgusting abominations known as the rebel apostate mages- or whatever they call themselves started the war, all of Thedas has been plunged into chaos at the expense of their 'freedom'." The mockery in Iva's voice towards mages was evident and Kassandra forced herself not to retort with the notion that mages are people and deserving of respect or that the Templars had equal culpability regarding the war erupting. Shocking allegations of abuse that filtered out of Circles was not a new concept, yet those problems were overlooked by the Chantry. The Grand Clerics feared mages, but fear breeds resentment and resentment breeds hate. Hate is what leads to wars and revolutions: the dark passion that grates on the foundations of compromise, respect, and peaceful co-existence until it crumbles into chaos and anarchy. But that was neither here nor there. An informed rebuttal would have no impact against Iva's close-minded, ignorant opinion regarding mages that a significant portion of Thedas wielded like a weapon of rhetoric to use against those with magical abilities.

"I would refrain with flirting with them then, if that is your plan. Men and women like the Templars have some level of self-respect and are comfortable in their piety." Kassandra flicked the reigns before dropping her bombshell comment. She deftly rode ahead of her family's party while ignoring the offended wails her cousin was making in the wake of her veiled insult and the remainder of her family awkwardly attempting to calm down Iva with little success. Each separate lineage of the Trevelyan house sent one representative from the line to negotiate at the Divine Conclave; most of them sending the youngest of each distinct line totaling to five in all. The remainder of her cousins, Adenet and Peter and Bastien, were not terrible company but rather dimwitted and crude for Kassandra's tastes. Maybe that thought made her elitist, but most people would agree that they would not care to be trapped with three sexist and immature men for the whole leg of the journey. It also didn't help their case that they whined almost as much as Iva did and treated Kassandra as if she was incapable of lifting a finger when she could easily disarm them in a swordfight under a minute. Most of her family was exemplary of the negative stereotypes crafted about the nobility by society: spoiled, entitled, and painfully superficial. The intelligent, selfless noble was a dying, rare breed of people.

"Oh, we have arrived!" Bastien shouted from the rear of the group and pointed unceremoniously towards the Temple which was now right within Kassandra's grasp. The winding path was lined with Templar Knights, likely recruits, and they directed delegations of nobility up to the Temple. As her foolhardy cousins waved to or flirted with the on-duty guards in Iva's case, Kassandra was amid brainstorming a plan to evade her irksome family members and secure alliances with any noble family that she convinced into speaking with her. A simple glance back revealed that her horse trotted ahead with enough distance between her and the remainder of the Trevelyan delegation for her to make an effortless getaway towards the other nobility. An elven boy skittishly approached her mount and made a silent gesture for the reigns, his head bowed and eyes averting Kassandra. She understood why the boy was frightened to approach her even though she in her heart knew that she was leagues from the snobbish demeanor of most nobles. She executed a swift dismount from the steed in a singular, fluid motion and smiled graciously at the elven boy when he dared to glance at her in the eye. The silent boy swallowed in awe that Kassandra treated him like he was a person and not like breathing filth; his stillness allowing the Trevelyan to stroke the horse's mane and muzzle for a moment. A deep breath and Kassandra was off into the crowd gathered in the Temple's courtyard. Her breath was easily seen and she instinctively pulled her green traveling coat taut against her torso; the wintry weather surrounding her was colder than she had ever experienced. The Free Marches tended to snow yet she rarely encountered the unforgiving element from the gilded cage of vipers she called home. Her parents sought to shelter her from the outside world but they exposed her to another horror that hid within. It didn't matter; she had no plans to inherit the title Bann of House Trevelyan unless her two older brothers suddenly abdicated or died. Her life would lie with the Chantry in Ostwick as either a Templar or a Chantry sister, leaning towards the later as she was a female and some of her family possessed quite antiquated ideas about where women should function in society. There were female Templars within the Order… but she would never be pledged into their ranks if her Uncle Florence had a thing to say about it.

"Blessed are they who stand before the corrupt and the wicked and do not falter! Blessed are the peacekeepers, the champions of the just…" A group of Chantry sisters harmonized their voices to quell any dissenters in the vicinity under the protection of a small awning from a gentle, light snowfall. Many of the gathered crowd murmured hushed prayers and a few voices hissed out curses against the rebel mages rather openly. Kassandra halted her march towards the entrance to the inner chambers of the temple in search of dignitaries and stood rooted across from the awning. Stormy blue eyes glared out from the cover of silky brown tresses.

" _Blessed are the righteous, the lights in the shadow. In their blood, the Maker's will is written… Benedictions 4:10-11…_ " Trevelyan recited in her head at the same time the priestesses called out the exact verse. The crowd gathered erupted into assent comprised of praising the Maker. " _It is obvious who many of the clerics are supporting without them having to verbally admit their position, hiding behind a guise of understanding. A pity that the Chantry is blind to what mages have to offer Thedas._ " Kassandra ducked her head away from the harsh breeze of icy air; her cheeks flushed evidently due to the chill creeping up her spine.

"Kassie? Kassie? Kassandra Trevelyan! There you are!" Iva's familiar voice reached her hearing range, which forced Kassandra to restrain a groan of disgust from rippling its way out of her throat. The idea of vanishing into the crowd fleetingly flashed through her mind and the Trevelyan couldn't deny that the thought was rather enticing. However, her reply was cut short when a low grumble shook the temple. Panicked whispers filtered around her and something in her body screamed at her that something was very wrong here. Before her mind could process anything, her warrior instinct pushed her body into action as another ripple shook the foundation of the mountain temple. Kassandra raced straight for the temple's inner chambers and braced herself for hell unleashed.

And that was the last thing she remembered.


	2. II: The Reign of Shadows

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Chapter II: The Reign of Shadows

Cassandra Pentaghast stormed down the halls of the makeshift dungeon with the fire and fury of a dragon dancing in her eyes. The events of last few weeks had sent the Seeker of Truth turned Right Hand of Divine Justinia down a spiral of shaken faith. Arriving back to Ferelden after capturing an irksome, mouthy dwarven writer from Kirkwall and interrogating him for the location of the Champion of Kirkwall; Seeker Pentaghast was pummeled with the news of an explosion that rocked the Divine Conclave and wiped out the lives of all attendance including the Most Holy Divine Justinia V… All lives were lost save for one. The wrath bellowed in the hollow of her breast like an unquenchable inferno when she imagined the prisoner who wandered out of the Fade; suspecting that the blood of those innocent souls brought to the Maker's side was all on the woman's hands. With shaking hands, Cassandra analyzed the reports from the apothecary Adan on the condition of the prisoner. The prisoner went from clammy and near the brink of death to stable vitals and potentially waking up from what should have been a fatal explosion due to the strange magical scar on her hand.

"Cassandra." The Seeker glanced over her shoulder, greeted by the familiar sight of sunset colored hair peeking out from the cover of a purple hood. Leliana emerged around the corner that Seeker Pentaghast had rounded mere moments before. The Left Hand of the Divine caught up to her ally and revealed a report from her sleeve.

"Leliana, I suppose your agents have successfully identified the prisoner?" The Seeker's thick Nevarran accent hissed harshly to the former bard and spymaster when the later extended the parchment to the warrior. Cassandra hastily unfurled the report and scanned the private document, a letter from one of Leliana's agents in the Free Marches.

"Yes, my agents have successfully discovered her identity." Leliana remarked as Seeker Pentaghast gawked when she finally reached the name.

"There is no doubt about this, Leliana? I am not prepared for Josephine's endless rants regarding caution if we turn out to have made a mistake."

"There is none, Cassandra. The prisoner is Lady Kassandra Divina Trevelyan of the Trevelyan legacy. What I do not understand is her motivation for an attack on the Divine Conclave. The Trevelyans, despite their well-known support of the Chantry and Templar Order, have issued a public show of support for the ending of the war by the Conclave. They were one of the first noble parties to do so." Leliana stated, her hands linked behind her back as Seeker Pentaghast paced the grimy floor of the dim, damp makeshift prison.

"Is Lady Trevelyan a mage?" Cassandra murmured deep in thought. The gears in Seeker's mind were churning rapidly with the enigma laid before her. Without obvious motivations, Lady Trevelyan cast some doubt over many people's stable notion of her involvement in disrupting the Conclave. Confusion breached a hole through the Seeker's hazy, anger-ridden mind allowing a ray of logic to stream and cast out some of the dark holes in the strange case. Her passion often rendered judgment askew since her personal emotions were involved.

"No."

"Then why does her hand glow with a mark bearing the hellish magic from the Breach tearing open the sky? Demons are pouring through and with every pulse of her hand, the rift grows larger! She is involved somehow. We may not completely know how, but I plan of getting to the bottom of it." Without waiting for Leliana, Seeker Pentaghast resumed her march straight for the cell holding the prisoner. She was not aware if the spymaster was on her tail. The momentary confusion the Seeker internalized dissipated back into unintelligible, overwhelming anger. She had walked into the Temple and sifted through the ashes of the dead. Good people died the day that the Conclave was razed to bloodied ashes and Cassandra Pentaghast had questions which Lady Kassandra Trevelyan would answer for her. The solidary guards at the end of the hall instantly straightened their posture as they heard Cassandra's voice about to round the corner; her notorious reputation as a fearsome warrior with a stringent personality kept them from slacking off at their jobs. Maker forbid they awaken the dragon within her. As the Seeker and the Spymaster turned the corner, the two guards noted the gleam of anger dancing in her hickory irises and issued a silent prayer that Seeker Pentaghast would refrain from releasing her anger against them. Luckily, Cassandra's focus was elsewhere as she stepped through the door. Inside stood Lady Kassandra Trevelyan, on her knees and surrounded by armed guardsmen. Her expression was unreadable as she blankly observed both the Right and Left Hand of the Divine entering the room. The guardsmen sheathed their swords and backed away from the prisoner while Seeker Pentaghast rounded to the prisoner's back. The Seeker leaned forward towards Lady Trevelyan's ear and Leliana stood steadfast in front of her.

"Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now." Seeker Pentaghast hissed, rising from her bent position and began to pace around the chained noblewoman. "The Conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead… except for you." The accusations seeped through the Seeker's voice as evident as her Nevarran accent. Kassandra swallowed roughly; her mind fully processing what she was being accused of. In that moment, her thoughts flashed to her cousins. She might've thought them as ditzy and close-minded but she never wished them dead. Not to mention all those people who were at the Conclave; their lives were snuffed out. But she wasn't responsible.

"You think I'm responsible." It wasn't a question on Kassandra's part. She knew that they blamed her. Seeker Pentaghast wasn't expecting a calm, rational response to her accusation. Instead, she imagined the Trevelyan to whine and complain. Yet here Kassandra Trevelyan was- serene and compliant in a strange way. The Seeker, unamused by her remark, roughly jerked Lady Trevelyan's chained hand up to her face level.

"Explain this." The mark on her hand glowed to life with a short pulse of green, electrical light when Seeker Pentaghast shoved it back down. Kassandra admired the pulsing wound with fear.

"I- I can't." Trevelyan stuttered out nervously. Her internally calmness was chipped away at by her doubt. Perhaps she was guilty of what they accused her of? She couldn't remember anything before awakening in the dungeon and anything after she encountered the Chantry Sisters in the temple courtyard.

"What do you mean you can't?"

"I don't know what that is, or how it got there." Kassandra pleaded in utter honesty. However, Seeker Pentaghast didn't believe a word coming from the prisoner. She was already sold on her own conviction of guilt. Surging forward, she attempted to grab Trevelyan by her collar.

"You're lying!" Leliana swooped in and pushed the Seeker back from the prisoner. Unlike Cassandra, Leliana wouldn't let her personal emotions on the matter interfere with her judgement. Lady Trevelyan was innocent until proven otherwise.

"We need her, Cassandra." Leliana forced the Seeker of Truth all the way out the door; placing herself between the enraged warrior and the prisoner.

"I can't believe it. All those people… dead?" Kassandra murmured sadly and aloud; her mind still unsuccessfully grappling with the questions and guilt seared into her thoughts. Leliana faced the noblewoman and decidedly resumed the interrogation in the Seeker's place. The Spymaster understood that more information could be gleaned through not using force as a means of interrogation. Cassandra lingered behind Leliana.

"Do you remember what happened? How this began?"

"I remember running. Things were chasing me-" Kassandra trailed off slowly in thought as she struggled to reassemble the leftover fragments of memories surfacing in her conscious mind into easily explainable, coherent memories.

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 _For the first time since she was a little girl, Kassandra Divina Trevelyan found herself lost. She felt the sweat from the humid atmosphere gathering underneath her light armor and green traveling coat; imparting a desire to shed the garments from her flushed, porcelain skin. The hazy fog made it hard to see through her surroundings while the pungent odor of sulfur and what she could only describe as 'eternal damnation' slowly penetrated her senses. Eyes watered and her throat became constrained when inhaling. Glancing around, a brilliant epicenter of light exploding on a ledge up ahead of Trevelyan forced her to shield her eyes yet guided her towards where she hoped she needed to go. She needed to find her way back, otherwise she would have to endure a lecture about acting unladylike from Iva and that was not the conversation she wanted to drudge through again. She would rather eat a Wyvern's heart than re-live that same speech ever again in her life. Wandering aimlessly in the direction of the glowing light, Kassandra observed as the veridium smoke rose and thickened through her peripheral vision._

 _Next began the slow trudge up a rocky, steep hill. Kassandra continually covered her eyes from the beacon of light while she fumbled around the hill for stabilizing footholds. She was left alone to her thoughts by the eerie silence. Occasionally a noise would send her awareness into overdrive and she would blindly feel for her sword; only to come upon the realization that she foolishly left her sword behind on her saddlebag. Kassandra coughed roughly into one of her hands and winced when blood splattered against the skin of her palm. Wherever she was, she obviously shouldn't be there. Stormy blue eyes lidded heavily as they burned from the acidic mist and tears welled behind them. A series of high-pitched, inhuman squeaks emanated from behind the Trevelyan and she pivoted quickly on her heels to face whatever monstrosity lingered behind in the shadows. Then, from the shelter of a boulder cluster, a pack of giant spiderlings with sharpened fangs and a multitude of eyes emerged. Kassandra took one fearful glance at them before sprinting even faster towards the beacon of light. She had to escape. Trevelyan continued to climb, even as the creatures drew closer to her. A swift glance over her shoulder spurred a quickening in her pace. Not even five feet away from her was the beacon of light in a shape that she initially couldn't make out: a woman. The figure's hand was outstretched out towards Kassandra and beckoned her to take hold and reach closer. The mark on her hand began pulsating with light and her fingertips were just about to connect with the figure's as the creatures started closing in._

 _Then, everything went pitch black once again._

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"-and then… a woman?" Kassandra finished her thoughts, returning from the analyzation of the memory fragments. Leliana concernedly crossed her arms.

"A woman?"

"She reached out to me, but then…" The Trevelyan's silence spoke for itself, which prompted Seeker Pentaghast to usher Leliana from the prisoner and towards the door. With one eye trained on Kassandra Trevelyan and the other on the door, Cassandra watched as the Spymaster headed towards the open exit. Both women were reeling over the revelation that someone else was possibly in the Breach with their prisoner; Seeker Pentaghast noting that she would have to speak with the guards who found Lady Trevelyan for corroboration of her story.

"Go to the forward camp, Leliana. I will take her to the Rift." A slew of burning questions swarmed into Lady Kassandra's mind. What was the Rift? Was that the name of a secret prison? What did this woman have planned for her? Her eyes failed to meet the Seekers' when the latter knelt and unchained her from the latches on the floor. Kassandra's head rose and stared Seeker Pentaghast in the eyes.

"What did happen?" Cassandra rose off the ground while simply lifting Trevelyan from her kneeling position before answering her.

"It- will be easier to show you." The Seeker pivoted towards the open door with her prisoner following behind hesitantly. Stormy blue eyes blinked miserably as she plodded after Cassandra in chains. Down the hallway lined with stoic guardsmen and out a set of wooden double doors, Trevelyan found herself greeted by the bitter wind of winter. Her frazzled traveling coat offered limited protection to the cold and she felt the numbness seeping into her bones. She resisted a shiver as she preferred not to bring any more attention to herself from Cassandra than she already had. Kassandra closed her eyes as she adjusted to the sudden brightness. Not by her choice, she had spent the last several days clawing her way back from the clutches of death and locked in a dark prison cell. Once she opened her eyes, Trevelyan allowed herself a quick glance around. Then, the green caught her attention. In the distance, a funnel of energy swirled into the vast expanse of the smoke-coated sky. It struck Kassandra that she survived the explosion that caused that- that thing.

"We call it 'the Breach'. It's a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour. It's not the only such rift; just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the Conclave." Seeker Pentaghast declared aloud for Kassandra's sake more than for herself.

"An explosion can do that?" Trevelyan swallowed back her full disbelief. There had never been an explosion, that she's ever heard of, that caused a tear in the sky where demons fell from it. And by the tone in Cassandra's voice, she hadn't either.

"This one did. Unless we act, the Breach may grow until it swallows the world." Just as the Seeker turned away from the Breach, the funnel crackled with lightning. Almost simultaneously, the mark of Trevelyan's hand exploded with the same energy and she writhed backwards in excruciating pain. Kassandra curled her fist as she keeled over. Cassandra kneeled swiftly as the mark settled back into a dormant state and pointed accusingly towards the Breach. "Each time the Breach expands, your mark grows… and it is killing you. It may be the key to stopping this, but there isn't much time."

"I understand." Kassandra sighed exhaustedly and resignedly. She could feel the magic draining her energy with every pulse. Besides, this offered her an opportunity to prove that she wasn't capable of such a terrible event. A trial seemed more daunting than wading into an active warzone.

"Then?"

"I'll do what I can. Whatever it takes." Cassandra nodded in acknowledgement before snagging a fistful of Lady Trevelyan's collar and tugging them both back onto their feet. The Seeker ushered her charge forward with a rough yet guiding hand through a pathway littered with soldiers and townspeople; many of them who glared her down as she passed.

"They have decided your guilt. They need it." Kassandra winced as she was jostled around by Seeker Pentaghast. She dared not to meet the eyes of those judging her and grimaced painfully while the mark on her hand shot small, uncomfortable jolts of energy throughout her body at an erratic pace. "The people of Haven mourn our most Holy, Divine Justinia, head of the Chantry. The Conclave was hers." Trevelyan understood that she wasn't in the best position to complain and that she opted to comply with Cassandra, but she detested being spoken down to like a daft child. Biting back a sarcastic retort, Kassandra lifted her chin up and her eyes glazed over with steely determination. "It was a chance for peace between mages and Templars. She brought their leaders together… Now, they are dead. We lash out, like the sky. But we must think beyond ourselves as she did; until the Breach is sealed." The scenery had changed. They had once been gathered in a small refugee camp; now standing on a stone bridge covered in snow and populated by several clusters of guardsmen. Seeker Pentaghast revealed a dagger from behind her shield, turning to face Kassandra.

"There will be a trial. I can promise no more." The Seeker effortlessly sliced through the rope restraints without sparing a single glance at the ropes. "Come, it is not far."

"Where are you taking me?" Kassandra grimaced while rubbing her wrists comfortingly. The rope had seared angry red indents into her wrists after having them on for several days. The pain of having them removed was an oddly comforting one. Trevelyan brushed some strands of her chestnut curls from her eyes and tucked the loose ones behind her ears.

"Your mark must be tested on something smaller than the Breach." Cassandra answered simply, evasively. Her hickory eyes lingered on the double doors at the opposite end of the bridge which led out into the snow. The two women, Kassandra in the lead, headed for the gateway. The Seeker was strategically planning the way to reach the Rift in between there and the forward camp. Kassandra was pulling her traveling coat taut against her frame and prayed under her breath to the Maker that she wouldn't die. "Open the gate! We are heading into the valley!" Cassandra shouted ahead to the guardsmen manning the entrance. They scrambled to comply. The gate opened and Lady Trevelyan was struck with a sense of urgency. So, she began to quicken her pace to a light jog while weaving in between the spiked barricades lying along the road with the Seeker trailing her at a similar pace. Out in the distance, Kassandra heard someone bemoan that it was the end of the world and that stirred something defiant inside of her.

It wouldn't be the end, not if she could help it.

Lady Trevelyan and Seeker Pentaghast ran down the snow-covered path, past fires and through falling ash, until another tremor rocked through Kassandra's hand via the mark. She collapsed forward onto her knees and crumpled forward protectively over her pulsing palm. Cassandra Pentaghast halted momentarily to lift the noblewoman off the ground; noticing the pain plastered across her face and the formation of sweat beads breaking out across her forehead.

"The pulses are coming faster now." The two continued on their paced trek towards the forward camp. "The larger the Breach grows, the more rifts appear and the more demons we face."

"How did I survive the blast?" Kassandra masked a cough, the ashes irritating her throat and her ability to breathe properly.

"They say you… stepped out of a rift, then fell unconscious. They say a woman was in the rift behind you; no one knows who she was." So, there was a woman after all. It wasn't just a figment of her imagination or a piece of her memories that she conjured up? Kassandra pondered this pensively, even as the subject changed. "Everything farther in the valley was laid waste- including the Temple of Sacred Ashes. I suppose you'll see soon enough." Both Cassandra and Kassandra dashed through an arch and onto another bridge when a green blast of energy struck the foundation of the bridge, splitting it in half and giving way under Trevelyan and Pentaghast's feet. The two warriors tumbled down the ruins of the bridge and landed against the harsh surface of the frozen over river; both struggling to get back onto their feet. A second blast rained down from the sky and crashed into the opposite side of the lake. From the inferno rose a single horned demon: A Shade. Seeker Pentaghast unsheathed her sword and wielded her shield.

"Stay behind me!" Was her warning before speeding off right at the beast, leaving Kassandra behind. As the Seeker stepped onto the lake, a ring of green appeared where she had previously stepped from and a second Shade emerged from the portal. Kassandra leaped backwards when a circular shield and longsword caught her attention from the corner of her eye. She gripped the sword tightly and placed the shield in between her and the demon; she was ready to fight. Trevelyan refused to wait for the demon to attack before she went on the offensive- bashing her shield against the Shade's chest and slashing roughly against its abdomen; leaving a legacy of semi-deep cuts behind on its armored hide. The shade lashed out wildly, catching Kassandra off guard with a swift rake of its claws against the exposed skin of her wrist. She hissed sharply and cradled her lightly bleeding wound close to her chest while her sword fended off the Shade's attempts to nick her for a second time. Then, out of purely instinct, Lady Kassandra rammed her sword straight through the Shade, delivering the final blow. The Shade crumpled and she easily kicked its limp form off the blade. Breathing hard, Kassandra allowed herself a moment to examine her wound. What she was too busy to notice that Seeker Pentaghast had unseamed the Shade she chased after with a singular, backwards thrust of her sword and keenly observed the new weapons that Lady Trevelyan wielded.

"It's over." Kassandra muttered relieved, her expression morphing when she was faced with Cassandra's sword pointed dangerously in her direction.

"Drop your weapon! Now!" Cassandra demanded as she brandished her blade. If the situation weren't so serious and Kassandra hadn't reached the brink of her irritation with this whole process; she probably would have surrendered her weapon.

"A demon attacked me! What was I supposed to do?" Trevelyan scoffed in disbelief while clutching the hilt of her blade tighter until her knuckles grew white. They didn't have time to play this game! But Cassandra would have to be a fool not to realize the danger of trekking through a demon-infested valley unarmed.

"You don't need to fight." Cassandra snarled defensively. Kassandra realized exactly why the Seeker was so insistent on her being without a weapon. However, her will to survive trumped Cassandra's strong-willed personality any day.

Lady Trevelyan simply raised an eyebrow while remaining in a defensive, combative stance. "Are you saying it won't happen again?" Silenced dogged the two women, eyeing one another and waiting for the first move to be made. If the situation wasn't so dire, Seeker Pentaghast might've chuckled at the determination of this woman. She was clearly her junior by a few years but she still retained the fire that a younger Cassandra Pentaghast turned heads for.

"You're right." Cassandra sheathed her sword completely and Kassandra lowered her weapons in suit; the later still on edge. "I cannot protect you, and I cannot expect you to be defenseless. I should remember that you agreed to come willingly." The Seeker and the noblewoman then resumed their journey to the rift in palpable tension. Even when Cassandra broke the ice to hand Trevelyan some healing potions, the exchange was awkward.

"Take these potions. Maker knows what we will face."

"Where are all your soldiers?"

"At the forward camp or fighting. We are on our own for now." The two wandered down the path across the frozen river's surface; the thunder of the Breach pervading the void of silence between the Seeker and Lady Trevelyan. Kassandra made sure to follow the dry path carved out of the snow since she didn't fully trust that her captor wasn't planning on stabbing her in the back when she allowed her guard walls to come down. Her heart thudded quicker with every moment they drew closer to the swirling mass of energy known as the Breach, yet she wasn't sure exactly why. Closing the Breach would be how she will prove her innocence. But there was a part of her that wondered anxiously. Was she innocent after all or was that all a delusion? As they rounded the crest of the hill, Seeker Pentaghast spotted the all-too familiar sight of Shades slinking across the frozen ground below them. "There! Watch out! If we flank them, we may gain an advantage." She drew her sword from its sheath, prompting Lady Trevelyan to mirror her actions. Without a moment of hesitation, the two dashed and leapt off the ledge onto the ground below. The Shades hissed and reared backwards as the two women flanked them before launching fierce attacks against the weaknesses in their armor; slaying the creatures of the Fade within mere moments. Up ahead laid a staircase where at the top, an apparition paced in waiting and another Shade patrolled the bottom of the stairs. The breath caught in Kassandra's throat as she recognized the apparition as a wraith from her combat studies back in Ostwick.

"Cassandra, there's a-" As Kassandra planned on pointing out the Wraith lingering in the distance, Seeker Pentaghast cut her off while forging ahead directly toward the Shade.

"Up on the hill! It attacks from a distance!" Cassandra headed straight for the sole Shade, leaving Trevelyan behind for the second time during their little journey. Kassandra tightened her grip on the hilt of her borrowed sword and blew a stray curl of darkened chestnut hair from her face in an indignant, exasperated huff.

"Thanks for the heads-up." Trevelyan muttered once she began her ascent up the stairs towards the Wraith. She had made it halfway up when the demon finally noticed her and launched a blast of green energy that Kassandra barely blocked with her shield. "Andraste's ass!" She swore, very unladylike underneath her breath while charging forward. Her first couple sword slashes missed the Wraith moving backwards, but a lunging strike sliced cleanly through the Fade demon and it evaporated. Kassandra turned on her heel to find Cassandra and possibly assist with the dispatching of the Shade, but a blood splattered Seeker Pentaghast was making her journey up the steps so Kassandra waited where she was for her companion. Cassandra stopped next to Trevelyan upon the far-off sheen glazed over stormy blue eyes poised in the direction of the Breach.

"We need to keep going." The Seeker and Lady Trevelyan forged forward down the crest of another snowy hill, populated by the occasional corpse of human or demonic origin. Then, more Wraiths and Shades appeared from Fade comets raining down from the sky.

"They're falling from the Breach!" Trevelyan snarled, taking off alone towards the cluster of creatures prowling around the frozen riverbed. Cassandra blinked but followed the noblewoman regardless; joining Kassandra in slaying the creatures. She released a fierce war cry to distract the creatures so Kassandra could slice them in half. Then, Trevelyan charged across the river where another Wraith lingered on a small knoll of snow. Seeker Pentaghast hung back and watched the ferocity which Kassandra displayed during battle; there was a spirit of fury that resonated through her movements like she was looking to prove her prowess. Stormy blue eyes narrowed in concentration as she became entangled in a dance of death with the Wraith. Her shield fended off blasts and her sword destroyed the creature. At the same time, her mind was focused in a separate arena. _"Maker, all this place is snow and staircases that lead to more snow and staircases."_ The Wraith hissed when it dissipated and Kassandra, followed by Seeker Pentaghast, dashed up the lengthy staircase carved into the mountain's side.

About halfway up, Cassandra craned her neck and the faint sound of fighting reached her ears. "We're getting close to the rift. You can hear the fighting."

"Who's fighting?" Kassandra questioned the Seeker. This whole situation had devolved from minor confusion to utter bewilderment for Trevelyan. Just when she was sure that she gained some control or understood everything that was going on, another twist of events warps the story and leaves her right back at step one.

"You'll see soon. We must help them." Seeker Pentaghast and Lady Trevelyan reached the apex of the stairs, surrounded by multiple fires. It was then that the familiar sounds of metal clashing and garbled battle formations bombarded Kassandra and guided her gaze towards the clusters of soldiers fighting underneath a veridium cluster. Lady Trevelyan made the wild assumption about that being the Rift Cassandra mentioned to the red-headed woman named Leliana earlier when she was still in the dungeon. Her initial thought was that the Rift was the name of a prison they planned to deport her to, but upon seeing the swirling vortex of the Breach, it became evident to her that her captors were perhaps- most likely referring to something of similar nature to the Breach. Without Cassandra guiding her, Trevelyan leapt into the fray on the battlefield with her sword instantaneously removed from her scabbard and a menacing scowl plastered across her lips. The ragtag band of soldiers were fleetingly taken aback by the ferocity and mettle of their newest reinforcement as she darted straight into the path of two Shades, but were grateful beyond comprehension for any relief from the continuous onslaught of the Fade demons. Seeker Pentaghast subsequently followed the Trevelyan woman into battle; after first securing a visual on an elven mage pushing back creatures with his spiked stave and a dwarven archer that caused her blood to boil armed with a unique, stupidly named crossbow. Kassandra whirled through the field of rubble with a refined ease to those around her; leaving many of the newer soldiers gaping at the prowess she displayed despite of the manifestation of her youthful age. Weapon in hand, she was more of a force of nature rather than a human being. Alongside the soldiers of the Chantry, Trevelyan trapped a Shade in a ring of enemy combatants with her prowling in the center. The Shade blindly lunged for Kassandra and extended its claws, which Trevelyan batted to the side with the edge of her borrowed sword. She clutched the grip of her shield and bashed the front of it against the Shade. Then, Kassandra swiftly decapitated the creature while it dazedly staggered after her brazen shield attack. Blood spatter painted across her face as the head rolled across the floor before disintegrating into energy particles and some of the soldiers turned green in the face, but she remained calm in her expression if not slightly disgusted by the display. Stormy cerulean eyes spotted one last Shade fighting with who she believed to be an elven apostate and a dwarven archer across the terrain of rubble and ash. She broke through the circle of soldiers and headed for the final beast, the archer landed a fatal shot through the throat and the beast collapsed. Kassandra falters, not completely sure what she should do, when the elven apostate races over to her and snagged her wrist of the marked hand.

"Quickly, before more come through!" He commanded, forcefully directing her hand towards the rift and thrusting it towards the pulsating rift. Kassandra, too stunned to reply, watched as a ray of green lighting arced from the mark on her palm straight into the Rift. Within a few seconds of expelling energy into the portal, the Rift suddenly dispelled and closed itself. Kassandra jerked her hand back from the elven apostate with a clenched fist and stared at him questioningly; her mind automatically thrown into shock.

"What did you do?" Trevelyan questioned the apostate and he seemed unoffended, unsurprised by her demand for an answer. He was a slender elf with a shaven head and adorned in threadbare clothes; a spike topped stave strapped to his back. He gave off an intelligent and unassuming aura.

"I did nothing. The credit is yours." He gestured back at Kassandra. She nervously unclenched her fist and glanced down at the strange mark on her hand.

"I closed that thing? How?" Kassandra was baffled by the new ability she possessed. She wasn't a mage by any stretch of the imagination, yet the mark allowed her to perform an arcane ritual to destroy the rift. The paradox she faced challenged all conventional wisdom she knew and had been taught about magic ability.

"Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand. I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach's wake – and it seems I was correct." The apostate mused as Seeker Pentaghast strode forward from her vigilant stance only a few meters away.

"Meaning it could also close the Breach itself."

"Possibly." The apostate once again faced Kassandra, still pondering the possibility of magic tendencies she held. "It seems you hold the key to our salvation." Trevelyan almost spluttered ungracefully and aloud. She starts the day as a prisoner suspected to have single-handedly killed everyone at the Divine Conclave and has ended up as a potential hero to stopping the overflow of demons from starting the next Blight. Next time Kassandra subconsciously finds herself wishing for adventure to spruce up the nobility life, she swore to Andraste that she would be more careful what she wished for.

"Good to know! Here I thought we'd be ass deep in demons forever." Another voice, deep and smooth chimed into the conversation and Kassandra nearly fought off the urge to laugh. The hilarity in the ironic situation she found herself in finally dawned upon her. Trevelyan, Cassandra, and the apostate watched as the dwarven archer strode towards the trio proudly. He was stout and muscular with a marvelous amount of coppery chest hair bared by the low cut of his coat. "Varric Tethras; rogue, storyteller, and occasionally unwelcome tag-along." Varric glanced at Seeker Pentaghast and shared a teasing wink with her; with Cassandra scowling in response. Kassandra recognized his name instantaneously from his notorious reputation as an author in the regions of the Free Marches. _Tale of the Champion… The Viper's Nest… Hard in Hightown…_ Kassandra knew her family's personal library carried at least a copy of each of his works. Trevelyan then analyzed the interaction between Varric and Cassandra with amusement twinkling in her eyes; unconventional but amusing nonetheless.

"Are you with the Chantry or...?" Trevelyan gestured to Varric and the elven apostate inquisitively, which elicited amused expressions from both. Varric merely smirked and murmured something under his breath at first.

"Was that a serious question?" The apostate chuckled and Kassandra raised one eyebrow, scowling at his reaction. She would take that as a no.

"Technically I'm a prisoner, just like you." Varric admitted and Trevelyan felt internally relieved. It seemed like she was the only one going through the motions of this spectacle. Perhaps, she has more in common with this Varric character than first met the eye? Cassandra cleared her throat quite forcefully to interject herself back into the conversation once more.

"I brought you here to tell your story to the Divine. Clearly that is no longer necessary." The bitterness in her tone placed Kassandra on edge. It was evident that the last part was a direct jab at her since the Seeker most likely still blamed her for the tragedy at the Conclave.

"Yet, here I am. Lucky for you, considering current events." Varric stated sardonically to Seeker Pentaghast. The two exchanged another smirk versus scowl and Kassandra sensed it was a common dynamic between Varric and Cassandra.

"Well then… It's good to meet you, Varric." Kassandra nodded at the dwarven archer; a move reciprocated by Varric.

"You may consider that stance, in time." The apostate muttered off to the side of Kassandra.

"Aww. I'm sure we'll become great friends in the valley, Chuckles."

"Absolutely not!" Cassandra sighed as she glared down Varric for what seemed like the hundredth time that conversation "Your help is appreciated, Varric. But-" Varric cut her off mid-sentence with the smirk that seemed constantly plastered to his face.

"Have you been in the valley lately, Seeker? Your soldiers aren't in control anymore… You need me." Varric grinned wolfishly, followed by a moment of silence between the two. Kassandra and the apostate stood off to the side watching the two bickering, almost like a form of entertainment. Cassandra scoffs in disgust and stalks back to the route to the Forward Camp. Varric holds back a victorious laugh- knowing he got under the Seeker's skin once again.

"My name is Solas, if there are introductions to be made. I'm pleased to see you still live." The elven apostate introduced himself to Kassandra, finally filling the gaps of information with a name.

"He means, 'I kept that mark from killing you while you slept.'" Varric revealed and Trevelyan turned to face Solas.

"You seem to know a great deal about it all."

"Solas is an apostate, well-versed in such matters." Seeker Pentaghast replied from her position at point, which nearly made Trevelyan roll her eyes. Thank the Maker that Cassandra explained Solas was an apostate! Otherwise she would have never guessed by the giant stave he had strapped to his back or the fact he was fighting the Shades with a cryomancer arsenal of magic. Kassandra was certain that by this point, her exhaustion had a hand in lowering her patience.

"Technically, all mages are now apostates, Cassandra. My travels have allowed me to learn much of the Fade, far beyond the experience of any Circle mage. I came to offer whatever help I can give with the Breach. If it is not closed, we are all doomed regardless of origin." Solas explained to Trevelyan and she nodded.

"And what will you do once this is all over?"

"One hopes that those in power will remember who helped, and who did not." Solas then glanced over to Seeker Pentaghast pacing ahead of the others. "Cassandra, you should know: the magic involved here is unlike any I have ever seen. Your prisoner is no mage. Indeed, I find it difficult to imagine any mage having such power."

"Understood. We must get to the Forward Camp quickly." Seeker Pentaghast and Solas begin over to a broken wood beam and stepped over the low debris bar to the pair of stairs. Kassandra stood rooted in place as Varric strolled up next to her.

"Well, Bianca's excited!" Varric declared, glancing back at Trevelyan before heading after the Seeker and the apostate. Kassandra assumed that 'Bianca' referred to the crossbow Varric had slung behind his back.

"This way, down the bank. The road is blocked." Cassandra advised to the group as she allowed Trevelyan to assume point position once Kassandra caught up to the group. The group traveled briskly down the stairs and along the path until the road deposited the foursome into the frozen river bank. A few flashes of green touched down on the frozen surface up ahead.

"Demons ahead!" Solas warned and everyone in the group readied their weapons.

"Glad you brought me now, Seeker?" Varric enquired gloatingly while his voice carried in the path along the mountainside. With Kassandra leading the charge, sword in hand, the group stumble upon two Shades and two Wraiths. In the distance, a burning cabin laid next to a staircase that lead up the mountain and to where, Kassandra presumed, they needed to go since there weren't any other pathways. The only way they were going to reach those stairs was to clear a path through the monsters.

"Varric and Solas, you two take the Wraiths since you have better long-distance capabilities while Cassandra and I will handle the Shades." Kassandra declared lowly to where only the group behind her could hear and a few assenting noises were their responses. Varric loaded a bolt into Bianca before swiftly pulling the trigger; sending the bolt flying into one of the Wraiths. An inhuman growl emanated from the group of beasts as they noticed the foursome sprinting towards them. Kassandra and Cassandra dodged an energy blast from one of the Wraiths and slid across the ice to where the Shades slithered around. Back to back, Seeker Pentaghast and Trevelyan formed a barrier with their shields to defend against the sharp claws of the shadow creatures. The Shades wore themselves down from the constant barrage of offensive maneuvers; opening an opportunity for the two energized warriors to perform a synchronized takedown of the beasts via quick slashes and lightning fast stabs with their blade tips

Meanwhile, Solas and Varric traded blows with the Wraiths from across the battlefield. Solas fended off energy attacks with a protective barrier intact and projectiles of frost lobbied at the spirit creatures. Varric was releasing an unforgiving rain of arrows. Volley after volley assaulted the Wraiths and the creatures of the Fade hissed and wailed up until they dissolved back into the hell they came from. Varric refocused on the sound thrashing Cassandra and Kassandra were giving the Shades and indulged in a laugh. He swiftly aimed Bianca in the direction of the creature battling with Trevelyan and ended the Shade with an accurately placed bolt to the jugular.

"I had that one!" Kassandra declared indignantly as she then decapitated the other Shade to allow Seeker Pentaghast a breather before they made the trek up the mountainside where more monsters were inevitably waiting for them. She narrowed stormy blue eyes at the dwarf and Varric chuckled lightly and shamelessly

"I'm sure you did, and I normally wouldn't deprive you of such fun, but I'm not sure this is the best time to be toying with monsters with a giant hole in the sky." Varric explained with a nonchalant shrug and Trevelyan admitted defeat with a cheeky grin; the two wholeheartedly embracing the other's similar personality. Cassandra gaped at Varric stating a position of reason she usually would have if the roles were reversed, but she could not bring herself to commend him.

"Varric is right. Surprisingly I did not expect you to be the 'voice of reason', Varric." Solas leaned on his stave at the edge of the cliff above the riverbed. The apostate quirked one eyebrow at the display- seemingly amused by the antics of his newfound allies.

"Well, I have my moments, Chuckles…" Varric smoothly brushed off the jest in Solas' tone as he deftly jumps from the edge and lands in the snow below with the elven apostate following behind him. The foursome regrouped, and Seeker Pentaghast quickly collected a few spoils from the corpses such as gold and necessary supplies. Then, Kassandra led the group up the stairs and back on their journey to the Forward Camp.

"So, I take it you're from the Free Marches?" Varric enquired as they scaled the stairs and Kassandra glanced over her shoulder to look at him, her interest piqued by his inquiry.

"Oh? What makes you think that?" Trevelyan wondered if her surname gave it away to him.

"Accent. I'm from Kirkwall, but you're from… further east, maybe? Besides, the last name is ringing a bell for me because I know I've heard it somewhere before." Varric explained and Kassandra hummed. So, her surname was more prolific in its reputation than she would have guessed or hoped.

"Ostwick. That's quite the ear you have." Kassandra admitted, and she picked up a slight chuckle from Varric.

"I'm all kinds of impressive." He bragged, which drew a derisive snort from Seeker Pentaghast but not an annoyed response like she would typically give to Varric. If the dwarf didn't know any better, he would guess that he was steadily growing on her- not that she'd fess up if he was. The foursome marching through the ashy snow, surrounded by miniscule fires and the occasional human or beast corpse, was silent until Kassandra groaned in pain and dropped to her knees. The mark had flared up again- glowing a bright green and forcing a muffled scream from the warrior, masked under the guise of a sharp breath. Solas stopped to help Kassandra back onto her feet; watching the mark pulsate its sickly green color and Trevelyan's striking features warp into a pained grimace.

"We must hurry, before the mark consumes her." Solas declared flatly, his tone matter of fact and emotionless in manner. Kassandra grunted when she cradled her left arm protectively against her chest; the pain was spreading yet they couldn't afford to stop moving. The group surged forward up another set of stairs in quiet and inner thought. A bitter, wintry wind cut through Trevelyan's armor and she forced herself to suppress a shiver. What she couldn't help was counting the number of bodies in soldier garb along the way. These soldiers only died because of the Conclave exploding and the Breach gradually consuming the sky bit by bit. Kassandra's sense of justice, strong-willed and dominant, alit in an angry fire tallying the number of lives lost.

"So… are you innocent?" Kassandra heard Varric ask from behind as they arrived at another staircase in the snow; that one a mile long and uphill. Kassandra went to affirm her innocence, but the words caught in her throat. She tried a second time with the same result. In her mind lingered a tiny voice that whispered harshly that she might be guilty of all she was accused of- that the blood of hundreds of innocent people forever stained her palms crimson.

"I don't remember what happened."

"That'll get you every time. Should have spun a story." Varric mused, drawing the ire of Seeker Pentaghast marching besides him.

"That's what you would have done." Cassandra snarled at the dwarven man; remembering her initial interrogation of him about one Garrett Hawke and the location of the mage Champion of Kirkwall. Varric side-eyed Seeker Pentaghast with a quirked eyebrow.

"It's more believable, and less prone to result in premature execution." Varric defended himself from the Seeker's wrath and raised his hands in a surrender position. Cassandra huffed indignantly at him but dropped the conversation. Silence lapped over the group once more as a rocky, dirt path emerged where the stairs ended. Kassandra spotted a Shade roaming around the road ahead, pre-emptively drawing her sword and the remainder of her group followed in suit. Then, two Wraiths and another Shade make their prescience known, which caused the group to suddenly halt. Kassandra grimaced when a shockwave of pain rippled throughout her body and she staggered back into Seeker Pentaghast.

"The mark is draining her. She is not in optimal condition to be fighting." Solas examined her mark and noted the sheen of sweat building up on her forehead. Despite the fatigue she felt with sudden movements, Trevelyan shook her head vigorously.

"I can fight."

"You are straining yourself and we need you alive. You are the only one who may have answers to all of this madness. You are also the only one who seemingly can close these rifts to the Fade successfully; at this point, you are our sole hope." Cassandra argued as she resumed the point position in the guard with Varric bringing up the rear. "You can still fight but you will only fight when a creature draws near. That is the only way you can preserve any energy you have left before the forward camp. Varric, keep an eye on her." Cassandra and Solas rush towards the Shades and Wraiths- but when Kassandra attempts to follow them, Varric yanked her back.

"I know you're itching to fight, but you're going to stay back here with me. Flank me and guard if any of those bastards get too close for comfort. I normally wouldn't listen to a word the Seeker demands, but she's right on this one." Varric halted Kassandra from surging forward by grabbing her free wrist. Kassandra opened her mouth as if to protest that she could fight and that she should be fighting alongside them, but she hesitated and nodded. As much as she hated to admit it, she was feeling weaker as they trudged on and fought through the last swarms of monsters.

"I'll stand back for now… but it doesn't mean I have to like it." Kassandra sighed and she reluctantly levied her sword from her fighting stance angled behind Varric. He let out a chuckle as he sent his first bolt flying through one of the Wraiths, the creature scattering into dust and distracting the remaining Shade and Wraith whirl in their direction. Kassandra threw her shield between Varric and her and the monsters the split second before a green fireball made contact. The ball of energy ricocheted off the front and reflected back at the Wraith; dissolving the creature into thin air. Solas and Cassandra utilized the unintended distraction provided and simultaneously struck the Shade. A deep gash was created when Seeker Pentaghast's sword impaled the Shade through the chest and she shattered it upon removal of the sword, Solas' magic freezing the creature to its core. Trevelyan hesitantly moved her shield arm to her side as Solas and Seeker Pentaghast marched back to her and Varric; before the four of them headed back up the path.

"I hope Leliana made it through all this." Cassandra murmured as she passed another soldier corpse, tightly gripping the hilt of her sheathed sword in her sudden anxiety. Leliana's involvement was crucial to Divine Justinia's contingency plan in the event that her Divine Conclave failed to mediate peace in the Mage-Templar War.

"She's resourceful, Seeker." Varric reasoned while he unslung Bianca from his back and cradled her in a defensive attack position for any nasty creatures that decided to rear their ugly heads at any given moment. "I'm sure that Nightingale made it, probably using some obscure pathway that only she knows exists through the Basin."

"We will see for ourselves at the forward camp. We're almost there." Solas whisperingly stated, using his stave as a walking stick. His slate eyes wore an expression of intellectual ambivalence; nearly impossible for Kassandra to read at this point. The party continued along the path up the hill. Along the way, there laid a corpse buried in the snow alongside a burning wagon; with more corpses and a second burning wagon the way up ahead. The blanketed landscape appeared more desolate with the temporary silence and the ash that covered the snow in sheen of grey. Kassandra wiped the feverish sweat from her forehead with the back of her palm. While she once was freezing in her threadbare coat, she now suffered through a miserable heat as the magic of the Fade coursed throughout her body. What she wouldn't give to be cold again as the heat mangled her senses and tampered with her ability to focus to where she felt like a blind wanderer traveling the Western Approach.

"We are not far from the Forward Camp, only a few moments away!" Cassandra bellowed to the group from the back as she noticed Trevelyan swooned slightly due to exhaustion as they marched up the hill. Solas and Varric stationed themselves a step or two behind her in the instance she collapsed. At the top of the hill they turn in the southern direction, making a left turn, and march up some stone steps where they encounter another fade rift in front of an enormous gate. "Another rift!"

"We must seal it, quickly!" Solas expertly twirled his stave, its spiked top pulsing in the biting energy of frost magic, as the rest of the group followed by readying their weapons in suit. Two Shades and Wraiths growled and hissed menacingly underneath the rift.

"They keep coming! Help us!" A soldier called out from the field in distress. Something in his voice invigorated Kassandra; maybe it was her innate sense of justice or the fear she recognized in his voice, but whatever it was made Trevelyan determined to not let him down. With a guttural battle cry, Kassandra focused the creatures' attention on her as she charged fiercely into battle and sliced through her enemies like they were made of parchment paper. Stunned by her renewed strength, Cassandra and Solas and Varric blinked astounded before shaking off their reactions and diving into the fray. The soldiers fell back as the foursome easily dealt with the Fade creatures. The rift warped into the open portal from the original, chrysalis state; a swirling mass of transparent green glass.

Solas shouted at Kassandra, "Hurry! Use the mark!" She grunted as she complied when an arc of green lighting stretched from her palm. It took all her willpower not to release a bloodcurdling scream of pain as the mark drained all the energy she had just regained and exhaustion tore through her like a deep wound from a feral Mabari. Trevelyan dangerously staggered backwards once the rift was sealed by the transfer of enough magic and was caught by Seeker Pentaghast from falling on her back with a firm grasp on her shoulder.

"The rift is gone! Open the gate!" Seeker Pentaghast demanded and a voice answered back from the other side.

"Right away, Lady Cassandra!" The sound of machinery precedes the double doors of the gate gradually swinging open. The other side was revealed to the foursome. Seeker Pentaghast's deep eyes examined the worn out warrior next to her- Trevelyan appeared utterly defeated as her eyelids teased her, heavily drooping every few seconds. Kassandra, without a second thought, removed one of the glass flasks holding a health potion and downed to contents. She coughed disgustedly from the sickening aftertaste of the potion.

"We are clear for the moment. Well done." Solas and Varric caught up to the two women. Solas extended a kind smile to Trevelyan, which she exchanged in return- sort of. She really gave the elven apostate all the energy she could muster while the potion gradually countered the draining effects of the mark.

"Whatever that thing on your hand is, it's useful." Varric mused aloud, clapping his hand gently on Kassandra's back as not to harm her. The party crossed through the gate into the forward camp. On the other side of the gate is a bridge- lined with the activity of soldiers milling around. What caught Kassandra's eye were the four canvas-and-rope-wrapped corpses laying on the stone tiling of the bridge. Three soldiers sat around a bonfire next to a wagon storing firewood and some random supply caches scattered on the right half while Chantry priestess, a weapons rack, and two canvas-and-rope-wrapped corpses were stationed on the left. Up ahead, the woman Kassandra recognized from earlier as Leliana was debating furiously with a man in Chantry garb at a desk in front of a tent. Snide whispers from the Chantry sisters caused Varric to roll his eyes sarcastically and Kassandra to tense up suddenly- itching to put them in their place but containing the anger simmering under the surface. As the group approached the tent, all four overhear Leliana and the stranger arguing back and forward.

"We must prepare the soldiers!" Leliana stated matter of factly, disguising the anger and disgust towards her opponent well enough. She never enjoyed her contact with the scheming, despicable man or his outlandish notions about Chantry power.

"We will do no such thing." The man snarled back to Leliana with all the pompous attitude and mock authority displayed by a monarch. He sported a scraggly beard and wore the garb of the Chantry.

"The prisoner must get to the Temple of Sacred Ashes. It is our only chance!"

"You have already caused enough trouble without resorting to this exercise in futility."

" _I_ have caused trouble?" The tone in Leliana's voice, dangerous, caused the man to swallow roughly with the fear in his beady eyes, but he refused to back down. He would not be frightened by anyone, not even the Left Hand of the Divine.

"You, Cassandra, the Most Holy – haven't you all done enough already?"

"You're not in command here!"

"Enough! I will not have it!" The man noticed the foursome approach, but his hawkish glare fixated immediately on Kassandra. The glare was hateful, which forced Trevelyan to not match him with a glare of her own. "Ah, here they come." His tone was mocking and arrogant- reminding her too much of her Uncle Florence.

Leliana's shoulders loosen upon their arrival, her expression unreadable, "You made it. Chancellor Roderick, this is–"

Roderick curled his lip at Leliana and dismissively cut her off, "I know who she is. As Grand Chancellor of the Chantry, I hereby order you to take this criminal to Val Royeaux to face execution." Both Cassandra and Trevelyan took offense to the order- for completely separate reasons. Kassandra was astounded at the fact she was being treated as if she was not a person. Cassandra was irate at the idea that Roderick believed he had any power over her.

"Order me? You are a glorified clerk. A bureaucrat!" Seeker Pentaghast snarled and she stepped forward one pace with the fury of the dragons that her family lineage hunted.

"And you are a thug, but a thug who supposedly serves the Chantry!" Chancellor Roderick snarled back at the Seeker, slamming his fists against the table.

"We serve the Most Holy, Chancellor, as you well know." Leliana re-entered the conversation smoothly and subtly glanced at Kassandra with a gleam in her eye. She understood what exactly what was at stake, but needed the thick-headed Chantry man to see that before they could act. Otherwise, she would be dealing with more than Roderick's idiocy.

"Justinia is dead! We must elect her replacement, and obey her orders on the matter." He declared, which caused Kassandra to raise a slender eyebrow questioningly. So, what he was saying is that no one is in charge? Then, why was she still in the chains of guilt and being treated like an animal?

"For the love of Andraste, do not talk about me like I'm not here. No one seems to be in charge at all as a massive tear ravages the sky and spews monsters. As far as I am concerned, I am the least of your worries at this damn point. " Kassandra hissed indignantly at the Chancellor stepping forward. Her reputation back home was centered on her barbed tongue and legendary fury; a woman not to cross or anger.

"You shouldn't even be here!" Roderick scoffed, only angering Kassandra more. Trevelyan daringly took another step as her glare, a wintry stare, frightened Roderick back slightly. The words of his stung at her, the insinuation that she should've died at the Conclave already weighed heavily on the back of her mind. Knowing he made a mistake, he retreated to attacking Seeker Pentaghast "Call a retreat, Seeker. Our position here is hopeless."

"We can stop this before it's too late."

"How? You won't survive long enough to reach the temple, even with all your soldiers."

"We must get to the temple. It's the quickest route."

"But not the safest. Our forces can charge as a distraction while we go through the mountains." Leliana interjected, but Cassandra didn't seem sold on the idea of utilizing the mountain pass. From what her reports informed her, the mountain pass was quick yet a gamble.

"We lost contact with an entire squad on that path. It's too risky."

"Listen to me. Abandon this now, before more lives are lost." Chancellor Roderick pleaded forcefully with both Cassandra and Leliana; hoping that a shift in his attitude would swing the argument in his favor. However, Kassandra drew attention back onto herself when she gasped sharply. The Breach expanded in the sky and so does the mark on Trevelyan's hand. Seeker Pentaghast whirled to face Trevelyan and took a deep breath before asking-

"How do you think we should proceed?" Everyone, even Kassandra herself, gaped in awe at Seeker Pentaghast. Shaking her head, Kassandra cleared her throat. For the first time in a long time, she was rendered unable to speak out of sheer astonishment.

"Now you're asking me what I think?" Kassandra's tone was saturated in disbelief and a twinge of ironic amusement. A strange turn of events the day had become for the noblewoman. All eyes were upon her for making the decision- how ironic of the prisoner taking charge.

"You have the mark." Solas chimed in from the back- reminding everyone of his presence.

"-And you are the one we must keep alive. Since we cannot agree on our own…" Cassandra trailed off on her explanation; leaving Kassandra to make the final decision. Her eyes flashed up at the Breach swirling across the sky and her mind solidified on a choice.

"I say we charge. I won't survive long enough for your trial. Whatever happens, happens now." Trevelyan declared boldly, with a side glare at Roderick for extra emphasis of her dislike of him. Stormy blue eyes glowed in the fiery determination burning deep within her soul.

"Leliana, bring everyone left in the valley. Everyone." Cassandra directed her ally and Leliana nodded, before collecting everyone to Cassandra's disposal. The Chancellor opened his mouth to say something about the order, but a fierce glare from Kassandra halted him in his tracks. Roderick, displeased with the outcome, huffed and stared down the Seeker instead of Trevelyan.

"On your head, be the consequences, Seeker."


	3. III: Wrath of the Maker Above

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Chapter III: Wrath of the Maker Above

Accompanied with the soldiers of the Forward Camp, Kassandra and her party trudged up another snowy hill littered with corpses both creature and human. Trevelyan shut her eyes; whether out of pain or to banish the image of desolation branded red hot in her mind and behind her eyes. The landscape they passed seemed rather the same, a path here and a set of stairs there… piles of bodies and small-scale fires everywhere. Standing at the foothills of another stone staircase are several soldiers either loitering around, injured, or dead- one bowled over in obvious pain and in regards to the others, Kassandra was unsure. Ahead, more soldiers stood- some undamaged where others sported expressions contorted in varying degrees of pain. Trevelyan turned her head to the side, away from the injured soldiers, fighting against the unsettled fog that settled in her chest. On the left, an individual in Chantry garb tended to a row of corpses with a portion already tucked protectively under a tarp. Across the line of sight is the infirmary decked out with people of all backgrounds; apostates and Templars and civilians alike. Next to the infirmary is the miniature armory and forge where a small band of soldiers tended to their weapons.

"We do not have time to waste by lumbering around camp. We must focus our attention to sealing the Breach, which means we must continue onwards. This way-" Cassandra stated firmly upon noticing Trevelyan's fatigued glaze over her eyes. Seeker Pentaghast masked her concern in her firm tone. Perhaps the Maker sent her like rumor would have many believe and perhaps it was her duty, as a servant of the Maker and Andraste, to protect Kassandra Trevelyan? Varric caught the underhanded glances the Seeker shot at Kassandra every time she swooned slightly or blinked repetitively in a period of a couple seconds, so he pat the noblewoman occasionally against her back to lend her small bursts of energy. Each time she felt his reassuring touch, Kassandra would share a weary smile with the dwarven archer and whisper a small hymn of gratitude to the Maker that she was still alive. She stopped denying the effect the mark had on her: the draining of her very essence. It was as if years of her life were being slowly drained away and the life was being sucked out of her. The party goes up a second set of stone stairs to the west, through an open stone doorway and the permeating light of another Fade rift glittered against the frame of the arch.

"Be wary – another Fade rift." Solas tightened his grip along his stave while gentle blue light danced around the topper in the bitter chill of winter; growing steadily with every passing second. Kassandra unsheathed her sword after Cassandra and Varric's cue. The party sped up the staircase and they narrowly dodged a soldier's body launched downward by a meteor hurling into the ground. Below laid a cesspool of scattered bones and crushed skulls; an endless sea of remains coated in the black blood of Fade creatures. Kassandra angrily drove past Seeker Pentaghast and Varric upon witnessing a Shade felling a soldier. Trevelyan, energized by the thrill of the battle and her spike in righteous fury, dispatched the Shade via a few strikes including a piercing stab through the creature's chest. It released an inhuman wail before crumpling on her sword, forcing Kassandra to kick the beast's limp corpse off of her weapon. Her companions observe her invigorated display in a sense of swift relief. Trevelyan was shaping out to be a fighter after all. Cassandra joined Trevelyan down on the field while Varric and Solas waged their attacks from a distance in helping the band of soldiers kill the demons spewing forward from the rift. Seeker Pentaghast noted the Commander fighting alongside his men on the opposite side of the field against a couple of Wraiths. The mismatched party handled the Shades slithering around the field; watching as the corpses hit the floor desecrated in a hail of arrows, shattered into bits of ice, or sliced to ribbons by the sharpened point of swords.

"How many rifts are there?" Varric grumbled whilst reloading Bianca with another bolt and nocking the bolt in position for rapid fire. Green arcs of Fade energy leap from the cracked rift mirror across the field and two Terrors emerge from miniature portals.

"We must seal it if we are to get past!" Solas shouted above the harmonized screeches of the creatures and the barked orders of the soldiers.

"Quickly, then!" Cassandra raised her sword in the air as a battle cry and the party rushed into the fight besides a few of the soldiers who made their way over. Kassandra and Seeker Pentaghast align side by side as they handle one of the Terrors by themselves. A collection of the soldiers surround the other Terror, leaving it no escape. Both Terrors fell quickly under extreme duress and the rift reverted back into the mirror state. Kassandra outstretched her hand towards the portal and with the power of the mark, she sealed the rift for good. The kickback of the mark pushed Trevelyan back slightly since she grounded her heels into the floor and her aching hand curled protectively against her chest. Solas traversed up to the grime-covered, battle-worn noblewoman with a pensive expression and an intrigued gleam in his slate eyes.

"Sealed, as before. You are becoming quite proficient at this."

"Let's hope it works on the big one." Varric brushed the soot and ash from his coat but scowled at the black blood that stained the fabric. Kassandra hummed in agreement and her eyes fluttered closed until she heard an unfamiliar voice of a Ferelden accent.

"Lady Cassandra, you managed to close the rift?" Kassandra and the group turned around to see a man in full armor marching over to them; wielding a longsword and shield with the symbol of the Templar Order etched into the metalwork. The first thing Trevelyan noticed about him was his eyes. A liquefied amber reminiscent of volcanic aurum which held the prideful gleam of a lion; they commanded an authority she resisted the urge to submit to. They blanketed any emotion yet shone with a flush of them… _Pain yet_ _strength_ a _nd sorrow_ _yet pride_. His posture was one of power and command; broad shoulders and a figure of imposing height. But Kassandra found herself drawn back into the gleaming orbs of amber with every passing moment- he was magnetizing in an all-encompassing sense of the word and radiated the aura of an enigma to the noblewoman.

Cassandra sighed exasperatedly, some part of her attempting to reconcile her personal feelings about the prisoner's assumed guilt and the little voice nagging at her in her subconscious thoughts. She spun on her heel to face the former Templar Knight, "Do not congratulate me, Commander. This is the prisoner's doing, not mine."

"Is it? I hope they're right about you. We've lost a lot of people getting you here." His question was met with silence. Trevelyan blinked abruptly when she realized that the Commander had been addressing her and that all eyes of the group and some of the soldiers' were fixated on her before quickly averting her gaze to a spot off in the distance. Her fingers were tucking the same strand of hair behind her ears over and over; which she forced herself to stop doing. Seeker Pentaghast exchanged a look with Solas, eyebrow quirked in confusion, and was met by a quiet sigh from the mage. Varric tinkered with Bianca and seemingly was not paying any mind to anything that wasn't his beloved crossbow. Kassandra, so distracted, forgot herself for a moment and her tongue slackened as her mind snapped back into reality. The Commander was taken aback by Trevelyan's reaction, never imagining that he'd render someone speechless. Clearing his throat, he looked down abashedly and wondered if he should help his men back to camp.

"I-" The Commander only glanced back when he noted Kassandra's eyes upon him once again and heard her voice drift in the softest whisper. He admired the deep blue gleaming with crackling energy like a lighting storm sweeping across the sky, they were electric. Kassandra found herself at a sincere loss for words, "I can't realistically promise anything, but I'll try my best." Her heart suddenly clenched in her chest looking at the Commander and his men- battered but not broken. They were fighting a war that no one asked for- a war she might have started. As easy as it would have been for her to play into the noble narrative of shirking responsibility onto another party, she would never be that heartless. It was her duty to fix the mess made. Maybe it was her doing and maybe it wasn't related to her at all, but it was long past that point now and she needed to fix everything that laid broken at her feet.

"Then, that is all we can ask." His tone, once a stern commander, accommodated to a softer delivery. Kassandra's stormy blue eyes flickered back to the Commander's, resuming the mutual exchange of silent conversation. To say that they intrigued each other would be an understatement. The Commander addressed the other members of Trevelyan's party with a brief glance and nod before he headed over to assist one of his injured men back to the Forward Camp. Kassandra's eyes lingered on him even as his form retreated down the path she traveled not long before.

"…Goodbye." Varric's head turned when he heard the wisp of Kassandra's voice murmur a gentle, diffident acknowledgment of the Commander. The dwarven archer placed a guiding hand against her back and silently ushered Trevelyan back toward the Temple. She followed his guidance without a word spoken. Azure irises swiftly darted across the perimeter; only to be greeted by leveled earth and burning skeletons. The path of destruction outlined in blood and ashes straight toward the Temple of Sacred Ashes. The air hung heavy with a broken promise as the foursome marched rhythmically in the direction of the ruined sanctuary. The party approached the ruins tentatively. They halted just before the fortified barrier of blackened walls and obsidian fragments when Trevelyan's pulsing mark grazed the surface of the stone and the whole beam momentarily glowed with the veridium veins etched in them.

"The Temple of Sacred Ashes…" Solas mused, leaning back on his staff as he waited for Trevelyan to wrap up her marveled, wordless staring contest with the slab of obsidian her palm pressed against. Varric scoffed brusquely under the guise of a cough.

"What's left of it, anyway?" He unslung Bianca from his back and prepped his crossbow at the ready. Dwarves are resistant to magic, but Varric could sense danger from a mile away. Varric eyed Solas with a nod as his reply from the mysterious apostate.

"That is where you walked out the Fade and our soldiers found you. They said a woman was in the rift behind you. No one knows who she was." Seeker Pentaghast's typically resounding, authoritative tone barely above a wisp of awe. The foursome continued down the pathway that remained despite the destruction that lay surrounding it. A tedious silence enshrouded the group, even as they approached the entrance of the ruins. When the party cautiously marched deeper into the temple, surrounded by more and more burning corpses, they came face to face with the Breach. Up close the Fade portal loomed with massive radiation that rivaled even the sun. The walls of obsidian lit up a sickly green from the all-encompassing light.

"The breach is a long way up." Varric grumbled to the group. Before anyone else could reply, Leliana from the Forward Camp burst through the Temple's gaping entrance with a small escort of soldiers and armed with a bow.

"You're here! Thank the Maker." Leliana's eyes fixated behind Kassandra and her party; onto the Breach.

Cassandra cleared her throat and nodded to Leliana, "Leliana, have your men take up positions around the temple." Leliana nods and walks away to give directions to her men already stationed at various points below the balcony Trevelyan stood upon. Seeker Pentaghast inhaled deeply and spun on her heel, facing Kassandra dead on. "This is your chance to end this. Are you ready?" Kassandra glanced calculatedly at the Breach; her expression of guilt melted into a focused form.

"I'm assuming you have a plan to get me up there." Trevelyan's fingers twitched against the hilt of her sheathed sword. The mark had temporarily ceased its drain of her energy and her mind could finally concentrate on the looming task and dire consequences ahead of her. The flow of adrenaline slowly trickled through the valves of her body. Kassandra was staring down the massive Breach and fortifying her courage like steel tempered and cleansed by fire. _"My Creator, judge me whole: find me well within Your grace. Touch me with fire that I be cleansed… Transfigurations 12:4"_ Azure pools of storming emotions re-opened to observe Solas staring at her with an expression Trevelyan was unable to pinpoint.

"No. This rift was the first and is the key. Seal it, and perhaps we seal the Breach." Solas pointed out a smaller rift that popped up below the tear in the sky. Unlike previous Fade rifts she encountered on the way to the Temple, this one gleamed larger than the rest. Maker only knew what lay awaiting her behind the glassy exterior of the rift.

"Then let's find a way down. And be careful." Seeker Pentaghast instructed as she signaled Leliana to ready her men. Kassandra began the party's descent by marching around the perimeter towards the opposite of the temple ruins, where stairs rested that would lead them down. Leliana accompanies the party but from the rear; the Left Hand of the Divine never removing her eyes from the original rift and the crackling Breach above. With every moment the foursome drew closer, echoes of voices and memories past leapt from the Fade. Their desperate screams for attention drew Kassandra's unsteady focus into the nightmarishly entrancing mass of energy.

"Now is the hour of our victory. Bring forth the sacrifice." An unknown yet all too familiar voice reverberated from the rift and spread across the Temple of Sacred Ashes. A chill of unadulterated fear crept down Trevelyan's spine. There was something she knew about the owner of the voice, but she… she was unsuccessful in recalling even a memory fragment. Only the intense festering of fear stirred in her stomach and throat.

"What… are we hearing?" Cassandra gripped her shield tighter against her chest; the symbol of the Seekers of Truth acting as a ward from whatever evil lingered around the ruins. Trevelyan opened her mouth to say something, but quickly shut it moments after when she had no idea what to say.

"At a guess: The person who created the Breach." Solas leaned on his staff as the group came to a brief halt. Varric, Seeker Pentaghast, and Kassandra all made eye contact- sharing identical weary glances. Whatever was to happen, they were unsure. The party resumed their warpath to reaching the base floor; passing two archers in position overlooking the rift. On the right side of the party, a crimson and smoldering mineral, which Trevelyan recognized from a book she once read in her family's library, jutted out from the cracks in the once glittering flooring. Its name was long forgotten by Kassandra yet it called out to her in hushed whispers. She recoiled back a few steps to her left, almost running into Varric during the process, but her dwarven companion was also fixated on the glare. However, his face was a twisted scowl of fury while fear danced in the light of his eyes.

"You know this stuff is red lyrium, Seeker." Varric's typically carefree, occasionally sardonic voice, morphed into something serious. Seeker Pentaghast raised an eyebrow; she knew what red lyrium was.

"I see it, Varric." Cassandra rested her fingers along the hilt of her blade. They knew so little about red lyrium, best to avoid it for any dangerous side effects.

"But what it's doing here?"

"Magic could have drawn on lyrium beneath the temple, corrupted it…" Solas examined the lyrium's formation and sensed the power radiating from its surface. The gears were turning in his mind

"It's evil. Whatever you do don't touch it." Varric growled as he adjusted the bolt in Bianca and watched the mineral with a weary glare from behind the protection. Kassandra shut her eyes and shook her head when the singing started to get too loud. She broke past the group and rounded the corner with Varric right behind her and Seeker Pentaghast and Solas following in the rear. Being near that stuff- red lyrium caused the mark upon her hand to angrily pulsate. Trevelyan deftly navigated through the broken chunks of what were most likely the blackened remains of the structure's former walls and down to where a staircase led closer to the ground.

"Keep the sacrifice still." Another unexpected echo from the Rift reverberated across the ruins; the same voice as before. It was gravely, as if the voice came from deep within the ground beneath their feet, and rattled Kassandra's focus. Chills slithered up her spine as her grip on her sword's hilt tightened and stormy blue eyes peeked out from behind her shut eye lids with an invigorated surge of rage. Something about this voice, whatever it was, irked the noblewoman to her core and lit a blazing inferno of righteous fury deep within her. She knew that whoever- whatever that thing was, it was responsible for the Conclave and not her. She was just out to prove it now.

"Someone help me!" Another voice cut through the fray, clear and sharp as the group descended to the drop point. This one was female, accented, and once again familiar. This voice halted Seeker Pentaghast dead in her tracks with her face drained of all its color, pale and gaping in astonishment. Her brown eyes meet Kassandra's azure ones.

"That is Divine Justinia's voice!" As if the Maker heard her internal declaration to prove her innocence, a boon of proof was handed to Trevelyan. The party reached the end of the path and darted onto the bottom floor of the Temple of Sacred Ashes' grave. The crater floor, uneven and comprised of broken rocks and marble, crunched under Kassandra's foot. The four approached the rift tentatively, with Kassandra resuming point position, when the mark on her hand flares violently and triggered another echo of a memory.

"Someone help me!" Divine Justinia's echoed across the void once again; a desperate plea to whomever would listen. Cassandra grit her teeth at hearing the woman she once served devotedly and admired greatly beg for her life.

"What's going on here?" Everyone's head turned towards Kassandra abruptly when they heard her voice echo from the Rift. Seeker Pentaghast initially assumed it was Trevelyan posing the question in real time until she realized that Kassandra's mouth had never moved in the first place. Kassandra felt their eyes upon her and she faced three confused individuals behind her. Cassandra wore an expression of disbelief. Varric raised an eyebrow at the turn of events. Solas ad no expression but the curiosity in his eyes was unmistakable.

"That was your voice. Most Holy called out to you. But…" The Seeker of Truth trailed off when something in the Rift snagged her attention. Out of nowhere, there is a blinding flash of white light and immediately followed by the conjuring of ghostly apparitions. The figure of Divine Justinia hovered a few feet above the group while restrained by red energy that writhed around her arms. A gargantuan shadowy figure looms over her, glowing red eyes flaring like fire from empty sockets. Suddenly, Kassandra sprinted into the room looking ready for a battle.

"What's going on here?!" Trevelyan demanded upon discovering the scene. Divine Justinia grimaced at her savior.

"Run while you can! Warn them!" Justinia warned Trevelyan.

The image of the shadow slowly faced Kassandra intruding upon the scene and let out an inhuman growl, "We have an intruder." The eyes of the shadowy figure flared and the fire threatened to bleed out from the hollow sockets. The shadow raised a crooked, claw-like hand in her general direction, "Kill her. Now." The image dispersed, but Cassandra had questions for Trevelyan. The Seeker of Truth caught up to Kassandra and got in front of her. Behind her, Solas continued moving forward to examine the rift. The elven apostate's eyes piqued with curiosity as he examined the Rift and its magic signature. There was an anomaly as he could normally only view the memories of the Fade while he slumbered.

"You were there! Who attacked? And the Divine- is she? Was this vision true? What are we seeing?" Cassandra spluttered angrily, clearly rattled by the vision that unfurled before her eyes. She stared down Trevelyan meeting her with concern. Was it possible that she was wrong about the noblewoman in the first place? That Kassandra Divina Trevelyan was innocent and was telling the truth all along?

"I- I don't remember." Kassandra stated, her mind still trying to piece together the lost memory with the faded fragments of information she gathered and barely remembered. From what she just saw, she was innocent like she thought she was.

"Echoes of what happened here; the Fade bleeds into this place." Kassandra, Seeker Pentaghast, and Varric all turned to face Solas. If anyone were to have answers that Kassandra didn't, Cassandra knew, it would be Solas. He studied the Fade in great detail as an apostate. "This Rift is not sealed, but it is closed- albeit temporarily… I believe that with the mark, the Rift can be opened and then sealed properly and safely. However, opening the Rift will likely attract attention from the other side."

"That means demons! Stand ready!" Seeker Pentaghast barked to the men Leliana brought along. The soldiers mobilized and drew their weapons defensively. They stacked themselves in a defensive formation as the archers above readied arrows and the mismatched party of Kassandra's stood at the forefront of the battle lines. Trevelyan glanced over to Seeker Pentaghast, waiting for her approval before opening the Rift with a thrust of her hand. Green energy arced into the Rift with a surge of power that pushed Kassandra's heels back in the gravel. The portal reopened with an explosion and a bolt of lightning summoned a demon unlike anything Kassandra had ever seen. The demon stood easily ten feet tall with a monstrous frame, coated in a spiked armor, and oozed electrical currents. The demon hissed and blinked at Kassandra through its multiple eyes.

"Now!" Seeker Pentaghast raised her sword and the archers released a torment of arrows raining upon the demon; which easily swatted the projectiles with a crack of an electric whip. The creature growled and the fight began. Cassandra, alongside the soldiers, charged straight for the demon while Varric, Leliana, Solas, and the archers pelted with arrows and magical projectiles. Kassandra, however, stopped in her tracks while analyzing the armor for an obvious weak point. That is, until the creature manically laughed and surged with a flash of purple electricity. "We must strip its defenses! Wear it down!" Seeker Pentaghast proclaimed as she dodged a clumsy swing by the demon. An idea sparked in Kassandra's mind and she aimed her mark directly for the Rift and channeled energy into it like she wanted to close it. Enough energy poured into the Rift caused the glassy form to return; causing the demon to falter dangerously and crumple to its knees. Kassandra swiftly sped into the scene and launched her sword into the soft underbelly of the demon with the other warriors following in suit. The demon fought back sluggishly until the Rift was no longer disrupted by the overload of energy.

Trevelyan smirked victoriously, _"Just as I suspected with some of the other creatures we encountered, this demon is tethered to the Rift as a power source. It was spawned by the Fade and by disrupting the source of its power, I can take it down. I suppose that overloading the Rift with my own power- the power that was bestowed upon me as often as possible will do the trick."_ The demon rose from the ground seemingly more infuriated and its attention fixated on Kassandra.

"More coming through the rift!" Seeker Pentaghast's shout to Trevelyan was faint as she observed two Shades emerging from the Rift and slithering straight for Kassandra. Trevelyan swung her blade over her head and used the blunt edge of her blade to slam into one of the shades and incapacitate it while blocking the other Shade's wild attack by throwing her shield to protect her face; feeling the claws scrape roughly against the metal and wood of her shield. The familiar sound of arrows whizzed in her direction and Kassandra registered the sickening thud of arrow heads making contact with flesh. She jerked the shield back before plunging her blade straight through the Shade from underneath the shield. Knocking the arrow-littered body to the side, Kassandra turned her head back to the Rift only to see a flash of purple. Her body went weightless as Trevelyan was thrown into a cluster of rocks by the end of the electric whip and a dull thud was heard by the fighting troops.

"Quickly, we have to stop that demon!" Varric shouted across the ruins and on his command, another torrent of arrows and crossbow bolts sailed across the arena; eliminating the other shade and capturing the demon's attention. The demon hissed and destroyed a whole row of archers with an electrical blast; laughing maniacally. Cassandra and the soldiers rallied around the demon and hit it with full force; barraging the monster with a series of staggered strikes as to scatter its attention from one target. The strategy work only temporarily until the demon surged with an explosion of electricity from its body; the blast of energy sent the soldiers skidding back across the floor and elicited another wicked laugh from the demon. Groans from the soldiers could be heard as the demon slowly approached upon their prone forms.

Across the field, Kassandra staggered to her knees- clutching her sword hand to the back of her head. The sounds of battle had been muted by a shrill ringing and the world went in and out of focus after the collision. When the spotty vision cleared, she grabbed her sword and rose back to her feet. Trevelyan initially wobbled but as she took more steps, she gained confidence. Kassandra banged her sword against her shield and made as much noise as she could, "Hey! I'm over here, you demon bastard!" The demon growled, wrath illuminating its eyes a bright purple as energy gradually built up around it. Seeker Pentaghast rose to her feet and watched Trevelyan make her way forward, waiting to see what the noblewoman planned to do. Kassandra was one step ahead and pushed energy out of her hand to disturb the Rift once more; expending the power of the mark and draining herself at an exponential rate. Sweat beaded her brow and her body was burning under the strain of magic when the Rift finally caved. The demon sagged to its knees and Trevelyan made no hesitation on attacking it; dashing straight for it and throwing all her effort into attacking the demon. By that point, Seeker Pentaghast and the soldiers were all back on their feet and actively charging toward the downed demon while Varric and the archers fired multiple rounds of their various projectiles. Solas stood separate from the forces and waged a war with waves upon waves of frost orbs. The demon hissed and spat venom, rising to its feet again, but swayed dangerously. Kassandra noticed the Rift opening and expelled another burst of energy, slowing the creature down effectively and leading another charge against the creature. But this time the drain of the mark weighed down upon her abilities; black fuzzy dots danced tauntingly in the corner of her vision while she found it harder to get breath in her body. She heard the soldiers around her fighting the demon with vigor and closed her eyes. Her hands were shaking unsteadily and she could feel the mark stealing the life force right out of her.

 _I might not make it out alive… and if that is what you want of me, Maker, then that is what I accept as my fate. Let the blade pass through the flesh, let my blood touch the ground, let my cries touch their hearts… Let mine be the last sacrifice… Andraste 7:12"_ Kassandra re-opened her eyes, the azure storm gathering an unmistakable haze of determination in them. She launched into the battle; easily striking the downed demon with her blade. Her attacks, brutal and precise, radiated fury like the fire of a thousand suns. The demon wailed and thrashed, but Kassandra persisted with her attack. Some of the soldiers stood back and gawked at the unbridled, unhinged expression in Trevelyan's eyes as she slayed the demon with a final blow that unseamed the monster.

Seeker Pentaghast, not faltering for a second, directed her sword towards the broken Rift. Her expression was one of cautious victory, "Now! Seal the rift!" The familiar sensation of energy expelling from her palm overtook Kassandra like the heat of a fever; her body consumed by unhealthy warmth and her vision swam through bouts of blurriness. She felt all eyes on her as her body was slowly losing all the life within it. "Do it!" Cassandra uttered firmly from the sidelines. The Seeker worried about more demons attempting to break through the Rift. Kassandra, muffling a cry, expelled the remainder of her energy into the Rift. There is a resounding explosion as the Rift seals and the outward expulsion of energy can be seen from the pilgrim's camp in the small town of Haven. But for Kassandra, everything sharply cut to black.


	4. IV: Keepers of the Order

IV: The Keepers of Order

The world was dark and the first thing Kassandra felt was the overwhelming pressure where she assumed was her head because it hurt to process thoughts. _"Merciful Andraste, who let me at the Vint-9 Rowan's Rose again? I told Alec to keep an eye on me and my drink count whenever Florence and Iva showed up to the manor… Wait,"_ Memories of sealing the Rift came back to her, alongside the reminder of the agonizing, soul-crushing pain she underwent. _"Holy Maker, am I dead? Everything is dark and I don't hear any noise. Is this what being dead is like? Maybe I am floating in the Fade right now and might want to open my eyes."_ Kassandra's eyes fluttered open to the sight of a ceiling. Stormy azure irises took in the rustic log cabin with a steady fire crackling silently across the room. The faint stream of sunlight poured through a lone window. "Okay then, I am not dead as I previously assumed." Trevelyan murmured, clutching her left temple as she sat up. She failed to notice the elven woman carrying a box of supplies; but the elven woman noticed the newly awoken Trevelyan. The box tumbled from her hands which nearly startled Kassandra to reach for her sword; only to realize her sword wasn't there.

"Oh! I didn't know you were awake, I swear!" The elf bemoaned, diverting her eyes from Kassandra's abruptly. Kassandra raised an eyebrow, but her voice was gentle.

"Don't worry about it. I only–" Trevelyan cut herself off when the elven woman suddenly fell onto her knees and bowed her forehead to the ground. Her form quavered underneath Kassandra's gaze.

"I beg your forgiveness and your blessing. I am but a humble servant." She stuttered meekly and wrung her hands together once she rose back to her feet. Trevelyan opened her mouth to make a joke about how only Iva would request people bow to her; yet she promptly dissuaded that thought seconds later. Instead, she cleared her throat roughly. "You're back in Haven, my Lady…They say you saved us. The breach stopped growing, just like the mark on your hand. It's all anyone has talked about for the last three days!"

"Then… the danger is over." Kassandra stated calmly; her outward expression masking the spike of dread piercing her stomach upon realizing the possibility of her impending trial. She survived the ordeal of sealing the Rift, slowing the Breach down as a result, yet some still assumed she was guilty for the events at the Conclave.

"The Breach is still in the sky but that's what they say. I'm sure Lady Cassandra will want to know you've wakened. She said 'at once'!" The elven woman backed step by step away from the bed mirroring every move Kassandra made, whether it was a subconscious stretch or a small shift of her body.

"And where is she?"

"In the Chantry with the Lord Chancellor. 'At once,' she said!" The elven woman dashed out of the room without another word; leaving a speechless Kassandra behind. Trevelyan chuckled darkly at the whole dilemma; she hated how people put her up on a pedestal and kept her at arms' length because of her noble status. She looked for respect, not fearful submission. Clutching her head in one hand, Kassandra swung her legs off the side of the bed one at a time and slowly rose onto her feet. All the muscles and bones in her body screeched in white-hot pain at the movement. Tears welled in the corners of her eyes while she desperately used whatever strength she had to launch herself onto her feet; but Trevelyan pulled through and hobbled towards the nearest stable object- which happened to be a desk. Her knuckles gripped the edges of the desk, white, as she steadied her breathing and fought the urge to throw up all over the floor. The only way she was going to get through this is to stabilize her body and take everything slowly. The world gradually stopped spinning and she dared to open her eyes. Everything was too bright and her body still hurt; but she reasonably could walk to the Chantry if she didn't rush or push herself too far. Straightening her posture, Kassandra marched towards the door and out of the open frame. When Kassandra exits the cabin, she is greeted by the visage of approximately twenty soldiers lining down the path from the cabin into the heart of the village. Each soldier has their right hand pressed against their chest in a salute, Ferelden in origin. The salute was only exchanged between soldiers and their superiors from what Trevelyan gathered; her decent military knowledge stemming from her older brother Theodorus and her interest from the Templar Order. Beyond the soldiers, were droves of villagers gathered outside the cabin and starring at Kassandra with awestruck, and some fearful, eyes. Kassandra tentatively walks past the soldiers saluting her and tried her best to avoid the scrutinizing awe of the gathered crowd. She held her chin high and her eyes forward; her life training as a noblewoman subconsciously kicking in. The mask that held back all her pain and all her emotional turmoil of years past she slipped on to mask the agony aching in her bones and the dread pounding through her heart. A man's voice rings softly yet firmly from the crowd, a villager leans into the woman next to him and can still be heard, "That's her! That's the Herald of Andraste. They said when she came out of the Fade, Andraste herself was watching over her. "Blessings upon you, Herald of Andraste."

 _The Herald of Andraste? Are they talking about me? Just how am I the Herald of Andraste?"_ Kassandra wondered as she walked through the masses of whispering pilgrims and saluting soldiers. From what she gathered, she succeeded in sealing the Rift and stopped the spread of the Breach… so that made her the Herald of Andraste all of a sudden? Trevelyan waded through the winter wind and the whispers of rumors on the tongues of the townsfolk as she headed towards the Chantry; ascending a stone staircase. Tidbits of conversations flitted in an out of her hearing.

"That's her. She stopped the Breach from getting any bigger."

"I heard she was supposed to close it entirely. Still, it's more than anyone else has done. Demons would have had us otherwise."

"Still a lot of Rifts left all over. Little cracks in the sky."

"She can seal those, though – the Herald of Andraste."

"Someone had better. You won't seal those rifts with the Chant of Light."

"Walk safely, Herald of Andraste." Trevelyan strolled through the snow and dirt path, the Chantry in her sight. She almost stopped in her tracks when she observed the group of fifteen or so Chantry brothers and sisters loitering around the entrance- hoping they weren't lackeys of Chancellor Roderick. That man was too eager to slap chains against her wrists and drag her before judgment to parade the power he didn't have. The Chancellor reminded her too much of Florence- power-hungry and haughty. Among the group there was two Chantry sisters debating- one seemed distraught while the other wore a serene expression. Trevelyan halted a few feet away, waiting in bated breath if they were to notice her but also curious about what was going on.

"Most of the Grand Clerics died at the Conclave. Who will lead us now?" The hysterical Chantry sister whispered loudly to her compatriots, fanning her face scandalized. There were a few murmurs from others in the group, but the cleric who stood opposite of her crossed her arms.

"Andraste didn't have Grand Clerics telling her what to do, and she managed nonetheless." The other Chantry sister stated firmly, much to the chagrin of the first.

"You expect us to be like Andraste?"

"Someone must." The Chantry sister's eyes connected with Kassandra's, a nod of acknowledgement was the only exchange before she cut away. Kassandra turned her head and marched into the Chantry- stormy eyes alight with new hope. The halls of the Chantry were empty, lit dimly by the faint glow of candles along the pillars, and filled with the sounds of a heated argument reverberating through the door across the room. Kassandra, breaking through the pain, briskly walked over to the door and laid her ear against the wooden surface of the door.

"Have you gone completely mad? She should be taken to Val Royeaux immediately, to be tried by whomever becomes Divine." The familiar voice of Chancellor Roderick caused Kassandra to clench her jaw instinctively. Even after all she's done, he still was sure of her guilt.

"I do not believe she is guilty." Seeker Pentaghast's Nevarran accent was unmistakable through the barrier of the door. A smirk danced upon Trevelyan's lips when she realized that she wasn't completely thrown to the wolves yet.

"The prisoner failed, Seeker. The Breach is still in the sky. For all you know, she intended it this way." Trevelyan inhaled sharply and resisted the twisted fantasy of her kicking open the door and beating the Grand Chancellor senseless. As gratifying as it would be to shut him up, she wasn't in the position to nor was it a good idea to follow through with such a violent course of action- it would only serve to prove his rhetoric about her.

"I do not believe that."

"That is not for you to decide. Your duty is to the serve the Chantry."

"My duty is to serve the principles on which the Chantry was founded, Chancellor. As is yours." Kassandra, tired of listening through the confines of the door, opened the door to reveal Cassandra along with Chancellor Roderick and Leliana standing around a large table with an extensive map of Thedas on top. Leliana raised an eyebrow at Lady Trevelyan's entrance; her face was composed and emotionless. If it weren't for the small sliver of wrath hiding in her irises, the spymaster might not have picked up on the fact that she heard some or all of the conversation. Lady Trevelyan was more insightful and a better player of the Game than she had expected.

"Chain her! I want her prepared for travel to the capital for trial." Chancellor Roderick snarled to the two guards standing alongside the door as he pointed at Trevelyan. The two guards nervously looked at Kassandra then at each other- wondering how badly things could turn.

"Disregard that, and leave us." Cassandra faced the guards, to which the two guards salute her and leave. The door shuts behind them and the whole room falls into a tenuous silence. Anger was evidently crackling off of the Grand Chancellor; his face contorted into his usual scowl from what Kassandra could tell.

"You walk a dangerous line, Seeker." Chancellor Roderick's patience was wearing thin with the whole situation. He already agreed to allow Seeker Pentaghast to use the prisoner only to seal the Breach on the sole stipulation that he would take her to Val Royeaux for the trial if she survived. She failed her mission and she should be tried for her involvement in the explosion at the Conclave. Yet, the Seeker was now dragging her feet and touting her newfound belief in the prisoner's innocence. Cassandra glared at Roderick irately; reaching her limit with him attempting to pull more power than he possessed. He was nothing but a glorified bureaucrat who sat around and bickered while good men and women fought the wars people like him started.

"The Breach is stable, but it is still a threat. I will not ignore it." Cassandra stated, her anger pricking through her monotone ever so slightly.

"I did everything I could to close the Breach. It almost killed me." Trevelyan interjected into the conversation- stepping closer to the table and resting her palms along the edge. Chancellor Roderick fought the urge to scoff at the prisoner.

"Yet you live. A convenient result, insofar as you're concerned." The Chancellor snidely remarked, glaring Trevelyan down from across the table. His expression faltered when Kassandra shot him a wrathful glare of her own.

"Have a care, Chancellor. The Breach is not the only threat we face." Cassandra replied flatly, tired of the complaining and whining of the Chancellor.

"Someone was behind the explosion at the Conclave. Someone Most Holy did not expect. Perhaps they died with the others – or have allies who yet live." Leliana's declaration came alongside a telling glance, directly at Chancellor Roderick himself.

"I am a suspect?" Roderick seemed scandalized by the notion that he was even considered as a suspect. He was met with the receiving end of Leliana's quiet yet intense gaze. If there was anyone Chancellor Roderick feared most, it was Lady Nightingale and former Left Hand of the Divine.

"You, and many others."

"But not the prisoner?" Kassandra opened her mouth to state that she, at the moment, was no longer a prisoner in any capacity. However; Seeker Pentaghast interrupted- coming to the defense of Trevelyan.

"I heard the voices in the temple. The Divine called to her for help."

"So her survival, that thing on her hand – all a coincidence?" The Chancellor seemed unmoved by the revelation and the idea that Divine Justinia's savior stood across the table from him, armed with the magic of the Fade and chosen as the sole survivor of the Conclave explosion.

"Providence. The Maker sent her to us in our darkest hour."

"Though all before me is shadow, yet shall the Maker be my guide." Kassandra's voice broke through the fighting of Seeker Pentaghast and Chancellor Roderick. Azure storms glittered with a newfound emotion of acceptance coursing through her veins. She was a woman of faith, a daughter of the Maker- whatever his will and plan was for her, she accepted it. _"I shall not be left to wander the drifting roads of the Beyond. For there is no darkness in the Maker's Light and nothing that He has wrought shall be lost… Trials 1:14."_

"We lost everything… then, out of nowhere, you came." Cassandra was comforted by the recitation of the verse; her confidence that the Maker truly sent Trevelyan steadily growing. From what she assumed, Kassandra was either a woman of faith, such as herself, or had some acknowledgement of the Maker to know a verse as that one.

"The Breach remains and your mark is our only hope of closing it." Leliana murmured and Kassandra nodded in understanding.

"This is not for you to decide." Roderick declared, attempting to establish some authority to win the conversation. Seeker Pentaghast grabbed something out of the shadows; she slams a big heavy thick book down on the table.

"You know what this is, Chancellor? A writ from the Divine, granting us authority to act. As of this moment, I declare the Inquisition reborn." Cassandra backs Roderick up against the wall, poking him in the chest as she continues. "We will close the Breach, we will find those responsible, and we will restore order with or without your approval."

Roderick begrudgingly leaves, realizing his effort to convince Seeker Pentaghast to uphold her end of their previous bargain was futile. This Inquisition would never get far off the ground if he had anything to say about it. He must return to Val Royeaux and rally his fellow Clerics to oppose this Inquisition for the stability of the Chantry and to put Justinia's killer to justice. Kassandra, Seeker Pentaghast, and Leliana merely watched the Chancellor leave; each with their own thoughts regarding what Roderick could do.

"This is the Divine's directive: Rebuild the Inquisition of old. Find those who will stand against the chaos. We aren't ready. We have no leader, no numbers, and now no Chantry support." Leliana mused, it wasn't the most ideal system. The Divine had confided in her that the Inquisition's rebirth was a last resort; a plan in the instance that the Conclave should fail.

"But we have no choice: We must act now. With you at our side." Cassandra stated, looking directly at Trevelyan. But Kassandra was preoccupied by her own questions, her own thoughts about the whole situation.

"Before I agree to anything, answer me this: What is 'the Inquisition of old,' exactly?" Kassandra crossed her arms over her chest. She considered herself well versed in the history of Thedas yet she never heard of, at least she didn't recall, this Inquisition.

"It preceded the Chantry: People who banded together to restore order in a world gone mad." Leliana answered her question; curious eyes studying Trevelyan's expression from underneath her hood.

"After, they laid down their banner and formed the Templar Order. But the Templars have lost their way. We need those who can do what must be done united under a single banner once more." Cassandra clarified, but the gears turning in Trevelyan's head were turning. She couldn't find it in herself to walk away while this tragedy befell Thedas. The Maker gave her this power and made her path enter this direction for a reason.

"If you're truly trying to restore order…" Kassandra darted in between Seeker Pentaghast and Leliana; watching their expressions for any signal of dishonesty. When she found none, she uncrossed her arms from her chest.

"That is the plan." Leliana stated. Kassandra nodded in acknowledgement. She understood that this would be her life now- proving her innocence, stopping the Breach, and solving the murder of the Divine.

"Help us fix this before it's too late." Cassandra held her hand out to Trevelyan. Kassandra glanced down at her outstretched hand, taking a deep breath, while she made her decision. Lady Trevelyan extends her hand with Seeker Pentaghast's and they shake hands. Accompanied by Leliana, Kassandra and Cassandra exited the war room. The door shut behind them, as the writ of the Divine shut itself.

* * *

 _Leliana stands at the foot of the Chantry, two ravens perched upon her forearm. With a fluid movement, she releases her birds and the ravens soar from Haven. From below, Varric watches the birds take off. One bird flies to a castle that lays along the shore of Lake Callenhad and the other through storms to a fortress bearing the symbol of the Templar Order._

 _Cullen marches up to the doors of the Chantry, nailing the symbol and the reformation announcement of the Inquisition onto the doors. He unabashedly walks through the gathering crowd and past Chancellor Roderick who leaves._

 _Seeker Pentaghast marches through the camp of training soldiers, her hand resting against the hilt of her sword. Past the armory, she is greeted by soldiers snapping to the position of attention as she passed. Commander Cullen, Leliana, a woman in yellow, and the Herald of Andraste stood ahead on the steps of the Chantry waiting for her. The Inquisition's banner hung over the door of the Chantry- proudly displaying its reborn power._

 _The Inquisition was reborn._


	5. V: The Birth of the Herald

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* * *

V: The Birth of the Herald

Cassandra Pentaghast strode into Haven's chantry purposefully with a more reserved Trevelyan in step besides her. They walk through the empty hall- save for the occasional sister praying a Canticle in a small, obscured alcove. The voices of wisps flittered through the silence and only complemented by the click of boot heels on the floor. Deep in thought, Kassandra glanced down at the glowing mark on the palm of her hand, grimacing slightly. She wondered if news about the Conclave explosion, if news about her reached back home yet.

"Does it trouble you?" Kassandra glanced confused at the Seeker when she noticed her visual trajectory to the Mark. Trevelyan clenched her fist quickly before tucking it under her arms crossed across her chest.

"No it doesn't. Not anymore, that is… I just want I know what it is and how I got it." She avoided eye contact with Seeker Pentaghast, a little sheepish. At the current moment, the mark was one of her lesser worries despite the grave consequences it held over her head.

"We will find out," The two women halted in the middle of the Chantry "What's important is that your mark is now stable, as is the Breach. You've given us time, and Solas believes that a second attempt might succeed – provided the mark has more power. The same level of power used to open the Breach in the first place. That is not easy to come by."

Kassandra chuckled darkly, azure eyes flashing her trademark sardonic gleam. She raked her fingers through her loose braid and deftly reassembled in. She was new to the concept of having some sort of magic within her; despite Solas reassuring her that she wasn't a mage nor did she have the capacity for magic in her blood. But even she, as naïve as she was, could sense that using too much of her newfound power could prove dangerous. "What harm could there be in powering up something we barely understand?"

Cassandra Pentaghast smiled slightly; fighting off the urge to bark a laugh in response. "Hold on to that sense of humor." She opened the door to the War Room and ushered Trevelyan in before following, where a woman in yellow, Sister Leliana, and the Commander from the path to the Rift waited around the table. A gargantuan map of Thedas and the various nations that comprised the land was sprawled across the table's surface with a few miniatures stationed at various landmarks. Seeker Pentaghast gestured to the Commander, standing directly across from her and Trevelyan. "I am aware you've met Commander Cullen Rutherford, leader of the Inquisition's forces."

"It was only for a moment on the field. I… am pleased you survived." Kassandra met the Commander's amber eyes; watching his steely gaze survey her form with an unreadable expression as his eyes diverted back to hers before she comprehended the blend of emotions. Her eyes scattered to Leliana; whom wore a knowing grin- sly like fennec's. Seeker Pentaghast, unfazed, merely continued with the introductions with her next gesture pointing at the woman in yellow.

"This is Lady Josephine Montilyet, our ambassador and chief diplomat." At the mention of Montilyet, Kassandra perked up significantly. She swore to Andraste that that surname was oddly familiar- most likely from one of her relatives' wild bashes back in Ostwick where she was paraded around like a prize pony. Like she was a trophy to brandish and show off when it suited them, but they let it collect dust in the dark in the in between times; not even bothering to mask the unfamiliarity of their relationship the moment the curtain fell and the masks came off.

"I've heard much. A pleasure to meet you at last." Josephine nodded to Kassandra, who responded with a conditioned curtsy. Josephine cracked a tiny smile at courtly protocol. Diplomacy would not be lost on someone such as Trevelyan with a family lineage that traced back generations and a reputation that rivaled the Pentaghasts in certain circles.

"And of course you know Sister Leliana." Seeker Pentaghast swept her arm in the general direction of Leliana. Kassandra exchanged her attention with Sister Leliana, curious as to the lack of title in her introduction.

Leliana started with a clear of her throat, "My position here involves a degree of…"

"She is our spymaster." Cassandra Pentaghast interrupted Leliana bluntly, addressing Trevelyan matter of factly while ignoring the pointed glare Leliana shot the Seeker's way.

"Yes. Tactfully put, Cassandra." The four advisors pivoted to face Kassandra; taking note of her polished composure and posture. She blinked out of her mild trance and clasped her hands against her abdomen; cradling the bruises or broken bones that wailed underneath her garb with every subtle movement or breath.

"That is an impressive collection of titles. It's a pleasure to meet you all, although the circumstances are less than ideal." Kassandra remarked plainly. She looked to Seeker Pentaghast for guidance, unsure of what to say next. She was only there because she had the mark on her and nothing further to add to the discussion then what she could potentially do with the mark.

Cassandra briefly filled the advisors in on what Kassandra was aware of regarding the Breach and the ideas in the works on how to seal it permanently. "I mentioned that your mark needs more power to close the Breach for good."

"-Which means we must approach the rebel mages for help." Leliana declared from her end of the table. Cassandra Pentaghast appeared to agree with the spymaster on the matter. However, Commander Cullen crossed his arms and cleared his throat.

"And I still disagree. The Templars could serve just as well." Cullen debated from another side of the table. Both Leliana and Seeker Pentaghast swiveled their heads to look at the Commander.

"We need power, Commander. Enough magic poured into that mark–" Seeker Pentaghast gruffly remarked, but was cut off by Cullen interjecting.

"-Might destroy us all. Templars could suppress the breach, weaken it so–"

"Pure speculation!" Leliana fired back at Cullen. Kassandra studied the Commander and the spymaster, from their body language to their tones, wondering why each was so passionate about their side. Leliana gave no indication that she was a mage but it wouldn't be too far of a stretch for Trevelyan to assume Commander Cullen had some tie to the Templar Order. It radiated from his posture and the authority he carried like a weapon of its own.

"I was a Templar. I know what they're capable of." The Commander's tone was gruff, strained by the vague notions of the debate. His distrust of mages was seemingly evident in his tone, but it was not the inexplicable hatred Kassandra would have assumed from a Templar. Over the years, she encountered and often challenged the age-old, vitriolic attitudes about magic within the Templar Order.

"Unfortunately, neither group will even speak to us yet. The Chantry has denounced the Inquisition – and you, specifically." Her eyes fell upon Kassandra and a hush fell over the gathered group, waiting for Trevelyan to make a statement. Trevelyan sighed exasperatedly; she imagined Roderick's smug sneer mocking her.

"That didn't take long. They obviously still believe in my guilt- my supposed destruction of Divine Justinia's Conclave for some ulterior motivation." Kassandra felt an uncomfortable pressure around her temples thinking about Chancellor Roderick and all the obstacles he vowed to cause the Inquisition when she wouldn't willingly allow herself to be dragged off to a death sentence in chains. Instead of hearing her out, that man hid behind his glorified status to stoke fear in people about her. It was the last thing they needed in the way of restoring order: a disgruntled man with a vendetta.

"Shouldn't they be busy arguing over who's going to become Divine instead of creating more of a panic among those of the faithful?" Cullen grumbled, also seemingly annoyed by Chancellor Roderick and his dramatic tactics against the Inquisition.

"Chancellor Roderick has little power to do anything else, Commander. But there is a crisis of faith sweeping through the Chantry's ranks and it all regards Lady Trevelyan and the feats she has accomplished." Josephine turned back to Kassandra. "Tales of your feats have already spread far beyond Haven from you walking unscathed from the Conclave to you slowing the Breach's spread down. These feats are seen as beyond the capacity of a mere mortal. There are some who are calling you the 'Herald of Andraste,' and that title frightens the Chantry."

Kassandra massaged her left temple between her fingers and her face scrunched up in confusion. She studied Josephine's serious expression alongside the expressions of the others around the table. "I understand that my circumstances are currently unexplainable, but just how am I the 'Herald of Andraste'?"

"People saw what you did at the temple, how you stopped the Breach from growing. They have also heard about the woman seen in the rift when we first found you. They believe that was Andraste. Seeker Pentaghast explained simply- filling in the gaps for Trevelyan. Her eyes nearly popped from her skull at the thought that Andraste might have delivered her from the Fade and an understanding of why the title inspired awe. If the speculation was true, she was touched by divine intervention- a walking miracle in a time of darkness.

"Even if we tried to stop that view from spreading– the point is, everyone is talking about you." Leliana added, crossing her arms across her chest and analyzing the alterations in Trevelyan's expression. Unless she was a better player of the Game than she was letting on, Kassandra standing before her seemed genuine and honest. It was one thing for a spymaster to dig up information on a target, but it was another to analyze an enigma. Before their first interaction, there was little information about Lady Kassandra Trevelyan she gathered. She was the youngest of Bann Hugo Trevelyan and his wife Aurora, their only daughter, and a prodigy in the courtly arts; but there was nothing on her behavior of beliefs. It was as if she was a ghost in her own family.

"It's quite the title, isn't it? How do you feel about that?" Cullen questioned Trevelyan, who hadn't spoken for a few moments. A crack in her stoic mask appeared through her conflicted, stormy azure eyes; flashing with an arc of anxiety that Commander Cullen remembered from a distant past of his own.

"I- I'm not sure how I should feel."

"The Chantry has decided that for you, it seems." Kassandra, under her breath, chuckled darkly. What hadn't the Chantry decided for her- at some point in her life? A hunted, ghost of a pain smile traced her lips in a miniature upturn.

"People are desperate for a sign of hope. For some, you are that sign." Leliana's tone took an unfamiliar softness- teetering on the edge of a whisper.

"And yet to others, you are a symbol of everything that's gone wrong." Josephine re-entered the conversation.

"So if I wasn't associated with the Inquisition, then the Chantry and Roderick wouldn't be in the way of restoring order?" Kassandra

"Let's be honest: They would have censured us no matter what." Cullen reassured Trevelyan with a nod from across the table and a softer expression in his eyes. "You are just the face of the Inquisition they can attack."

"And you not being here isn't an option." Seeker Pentaghast chimed in; clamping a hand on Kassandra's shoulder. Trevelyan nodded with a deep sigh, closing her eyes, before they flutter back open to meet Cullen's sympathetic gaze. Leliana snatched one of her figurines from the edge of the table and fiddled with it while Josephine jotted down some notes on the clipboard she carried against her chest.

"There is something you can do." Kassandra, Seeker Pentaghast, Commander Cullen, and Ambassador Montilyet each glanced at Leliana expectantly. "A Chantry Cleric by the name Mother Giselle has asked to speak to you. She is not far, and knows those involved far better than I. Her assistance could be invaluable." Leliana spoke up from silently observing the gathered group. She leaned forward against the table and

"I'll see what she has to say. If anyone can lend some insight into what the Chantry is planning, it would be her. My only hope is that it isn't an ambush of some sort."

"You'll find Mother Giselle tending to the wounded in the Hinterlands near Redcliffe."

"Look for other opportunities to expand the Inquisition's influence while you're there. We can counteract the negative rumors that the Chantry is spewing while they bicker about what course to take. People will see beyond the words through our actions." Cullen advised, to which Kassandra nodded in agreement. She knew that people would respond better to altruism than commandments from a higher authority more times than not.

"We need agents to extend our reach beyond this valley, and you're better suited than anyone to recruit them." Josephine interjected with her own point of advice. "People will see the things we have done and some will be adamant to join the cause of restoring order. In a world gone man, people will seek the forces attempting to save it."

"In the meantime, let's think of other options. I won't leave this all to the Herald." Seeker Pentaghast declared and both Ambassador Josephine and Commander Cullen exited the war room. Leliana lingered behind and picked up one of the figurines from her side of the table and slid it onto the map, near the town of Redcliffe. Trevelyan was about to exit the war room herself, when Leliana calling out to her halted her in her path.

"My scouts are awaiting my command to scout out the Hinterlands. If Giselle dies, any hope of Chantry support dies with her. My scouts will slip past the fighting, find her, and protect her with their lives. On your word, Herald, they will set out."

"Send them now. As soon as I can assemble a small party, I plan to leave for the Hinterlands to intercept Mother Giselle before Chancellor Roderick or his allies consider doing anything to harm or silence her. We have some of Thedas believing in the Inquisition, but what we need are allies of the faith- of the Chantry. If they are more interested in squabbling amongst each other and sweeping the Breach as an issue under the rug instead of restoring order and avenging Divine Justinia, then let us widen the bridge between the mindless followers and the doubting. We will fix this- with or without their backing…" Kassandra glanced over her shoulder to glance at Leliana and Seeker Pentaghast, resolve steeled firmly from her expression, before she strode back out into the Chantry. Kassandra left the Chantry and along the dirty snow road towards the cabin she woke up in only an hour before to search for any of her belongings.

She stopped when she passed by a small fire where Varric rested, backing up and walking up to the dwarven archer. Varric glanced up to see Kassandra, looking a little worse for wear, standing next to him. He patted the bare spot on the log next to him and Trevelyan sank onto the log. Azure eyes blankly bore holes into the licking flames of brilliant orange, red, and golden against the backdrop of a clouded, grey sky and white landscape. "So, now that Cassandra's out of earshot, are you holding up all right? I mean, you go from being the most wanted criminal in Thedas to joining the armies of the faithful. Most people would have spread that out over more than one day." Varric questioned the noblewoman, who shrugged indifferently. She continually stared into the fire when Varric nudged her with his shoulder, "C'mon kid, you don't have to be tough and detached. That isn't good for someone in the long run- trust me on this."

"I don't even want to think about how many lives were lost on that mountain top and that the fault, their lives being lost, might be because of me." Kassandra murmured hoarsely, the tears brimming at her eyes. It was the first time since before the Conclave where she had a moment to let her emotional guards down and process all she had seen. Some tears fell through her lashes and marked spots on her clothes. Varric could only witness the unraveling of the warrior next to him; wrapping an arm over her shoulder as she collapsed with her face buried in her hands.

"It is true that a lot of good men and women didn't make it out there, but you can't blame yourself for it all. You are a woman of Andrastian faith, no?"

"I… I am, yes."

"Then, you know that the Maker has a plan and that you and I, and everyone else alive, are pawns in that larger plan. So, don't blame yourself for something that was probably out of your control. For days now, while you were unconscious, we've been staring at the Breach, watching demons and Maker-knows-what fall out of it. 'Bad for morale' would be an understatement. I still can't believe anyone was in there and lived." Varric grunted, glaring at the swirling Breach in the sky.

"If it was that bad, why did you stay? Cassandra said you were free to go and you seemed held here against your will, so why have you stuck around?"

"I like to think I'm as selfish and irresponsible as the next guy, but this… Thousands of people died on that mountain. I was almost one of them. And now there's a hole in the sky. Even I can't walk away and just leave that to sort itself out."

"I think it's pure luck that I escaped." Kassandra mused; her attention once again captivated by the flickering of the fire while Varric whirled to raise an eyebrow at the woman seated next to him. After releasing her pent-up emotions, he could spot the outline of her personality from their battle days ago peeking through like sunlight after a thunderstorm. Her eyes were no longer blank- now humming with power like electric currents.

"Good luck or bad?"

"I haven't decided yet." Kassandra muttered bitterly and a little sarcastically to her dwarven companion. Varric sighed.

"You might want to consider running at the first opportunity. I've written enough tragedies to recognize where this is going. Heroes are everywhere. I've seen that. But the hole in the sky? That's beyond heroes. We're going to need a miracle."

"Thanks Varric…" She trailed off as she spotted Commander Cullen heading towards the sound of the mass of training soldiers and watched his descent down some stairs past Seggrit's stall. Varric nodded and wandered away from the fireside. After a hasty scan of the perimeter, she rose from her seat, jogged through the snow and followed the path Commander Cullen took. Snow crunched underneath the pressure of her boots and the wintry air swirled in serpentine columns around her warm breath- a stark contrast to the ice that crept along her skin from the minimal protection her current attire presented. Strands of her dark chestnut locks strayed from her loose braid and splayed out to frame her face. Pushing through the doors, Trevelyan wandered past rows of tents and the forge. Stretched out before her was a gathering of soldiers training in pairs- a sea of clashing metal and worn armor honing the craft of the blade in the frigid atmosphere. As she gracefully marched through the crowd, eyes from the soldiers and bystanders followed her along with the occasional whispered rumor. The faint calling of 'The Herald of Andraste' weighed heavily down upon Kassandra's shoulders; the full responsibility of such a title looming over her. A life other than being a little, submissive Chantry mouse or the dissatisfied wife of a nobleman from a political marriage was what she wished for and now she had it, just not in the way she expected it. The Commander stood in the center of the training recruits, barking commands as he surveyed the scene, unknowing as Kassandra tentatively approached him. She felt her pulse quicken with every hesitant half-step she took and the radiance of authority that lapped off him in waves. She stopped a few feet behind him and admired what

"You there! There's a shield in your hand. Block with it! If this man were your enemy, you'd be dead." Cullen directed sternly at one recruit, who immediately scrambled to follow Cullen's instructions. He critically inspected the crowd of fighting soldiers once more before addressing his Lieutenant, "Lieutenant, don't hold back. The recruits must prepare for a real fight, not a practice one."

"Yes, Commander!" The Lieutenant sounded off with a salute and dismissed himself to handle the troop as he was ordered. Cullen turned around, deep in thought, when he noticed Lady Trevelyan standing a few feet away in the snow. His mouth opened like he wanted to say something as his amber gaze swept up and down her form, but he blinked and shook his head. "We've received a number of recruits – locals from Haven and some pilgrims. None made quite the entrance you did." The last part elicited a small smirk from the Commander, remembering some of the comments his men made when and after the Herald leapt into battle on her way to sealing the Rift. He, as they were, was in awe of her skill with the blade.

"I just hope I can help." Kassandra stated earnestly while wrung her hands and walking right next to Cullen. Her cheeks flushed as a brisk bout of wild sliced through the camp and chilled her to the bone. She suppressed a shiver, by keeping focused on the details of his face- like the faded scar jutting from his upper lip or the slight growth of stubble across his strong jaw.

"As do we all. It is enough that you would try." Similar to when they first encountered one another on the mountain top, the Commander's tone softened when addressing the Herald. His accent brought down her defenses and eased the tension she held in her shoulders. Commander Cullen and Kassandra started to stroll through the row of tents at a matched pace.

"You remarked during the war room meeting that you were once a Templar. I assumed as much by the way you carried yourself. But what brought you to the Inquisition from the Templar Order?" Kassandra inquired, peering over at Cullen. Cullen met her inquisitive gaze and sighed contemplatively.

"I was recruited to the Inquisition in Kirkwall, myself. I was there during the mage uprising – I saw firsthand the devastation it caused." A soldier trailed along behind them and handed Commander a report with a simple 'Ser' and sped off to another location. "Cassandra sought a solution. When she offered me a position, I left the Templars to join her cause. Now it seems we face something far worse." The Commander glances at report he was handed.

"You left the Templars for this. You believe the Inquisition can work?"

"I do…The Chantry lost control of both Templars and mages. Now they argue over a new Divine while the Breach remains. The Inquisition could act when the Chantry cannot. Our followers would be part of that. There's so much we can–" By then, he was several paces ahead of Trevelyan and when he turned around, his rambling trailed off when he noticed the awed, slightly overwhelmed twinkle in Kassandra's azure depths. "Forgive me. I- I doubt you came here for a lecture." He turned his head to the side sheepishly and rubbed at the back of his neck.

"No, but if you have one prepared I'd love to hear it. I appreciate your organization and input, Commander." Kassandra stated sincerely, which caused Cullen to snap his neck back towards her in shock but he masked it behind a throat clear.

"Another time perhaps?" Commander Cullen chuckled, Kindness was the second thing he didn't expect from the young, beautiful noblewoman standing beside him alongside sword fighting skills that would put some chevaliers to shame. A shy yet dazzling smile broke through the mostly stoic demeanor she paraded around all day.

"I, ah…" Cullen cleared his throat a second time as he watched a soldier jogging up to him and the Herald through his peripheral vision "There's still a lot of work ahead."

"Commander! Ser Rylen has a report on our supply lines."

"As I was saying." Cullen dipped his head in respect toward Kassandra before he headed in the opposite direction, following the messenger soldier. Trevelyan watched him walk away with her smile intact and her confidence restored. Meeting the faces behind her just might be what she needed to feel useful. But Leliana and Josephine could wait- reaching Mother Giselle was of the utmost importance.


	6. VI: The Edge of Civilization

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VI: The Edge of Civilization

The trip to Ferelden, from Haven, was a two-day journey as the minimal snowfall proved favorable and time was of the essence to reach Mother Giselle. Before she left with her party, Kassandra was informed by Leliana on the dire conditions of the refugees due to the templar-mage skirmishes along the King's Road. A fog of anxiety settled over Trevelyan's stomach; she fought the urge to panic and it pained her to admit- she felt unequipped to handle the whole situation. She could sit through dinner parties, filled with underhanded manipulation and excessive frivolity, and not bat an eye as she easily skewered political enemies with her razor-sharp wit.

But the Breach and the consequences of it were two entirely different beasts she had to tame.

On the third morning, the party arrived at the small camp made by the Inquisition's scouts. The campsite teetered along the edge of a cliffside in the lush green of Ferelden and overlooked the Crossroads. When Kassandra, Varric, Cassandra, and Solas strode exhaustedly through the brush to the campsite; they were met by a dwarven woman garbed in the familiar gear of Leliana's people.

"The Herald of Andraste? I've heard the stories- everyone has! We know what you did at the Breach… It's an honor to meet you milady," The dwarf bowed her head and met the curious gaze of Trevelyan "Inquisition Scout Harding, at your service. I- well, all of us here, will do whatever we can to help."

"Harding huh? Ever been to Kirkwall's Hightown?" Varric piped up from the group; raising an eyebrow at Scout Harding paired with a smirk.

"I can't say I have. Why?"

"You'd be Harding in a- No, never mind." Varric snickered, cutting himself off from finishing what would have been a rather crude joke. Seeker Pentaghast groaned in disgust animatedly and glanced to the side. Kassandra ignored the two of them.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Ever proper, Kassandra exchanged a slight smile with Scout Harding- one she received back in kind.

"We should get to business; the situation's pretty… dire. We came to secure horses from Redcliffe's horse master. I grew up here and people always said that Dennet's herds were the strongest and the fastest this side of the Frostbacks. But with the mage-templar fighting getting worse, we couldn't get to Dennet. Maker only knows if he's even still alive. Mother Giselle's at the Crossroads- helping refugees and the wounded. Our latest reports say that the war spread there too. Corporal Vale and our men are doing what they can to help protect the people, but he won't be able to hold out long. You best get going… no time to lose." Scout Harding walked away and Kassandra glanced back at her group before the foursome started to head down the outcropping. Silence befell the group save for the snapping of twigs underfoot and the occasional trek through brush. A bird's melodic cry or the whistling of a gentle breeze often filled the space of silence.

"Mother Giselle should be down there with the refugees. With any luck, she will have vital information about how the Inquisition should handle the Chantry in any future interactions." Solas mused from his position at the back of the group. The mage contently gazed around the natural scenery of the Hinterlands.

"That is what we hope for." Seeker Pentaghast, fidgeting with her sword's hilt, remarked gruffly. Soon, the group converged upon an opening in the mountainous which they assumed would lead them straight into the Crossroads. Upon crossing under the arch, the sound of battle cries rang out faintly "Inquisition forces, they're trying to protect the refugees!"

"Looks like they could use a hand." Varric stated, loading Bianca with a bolt when the Templar forces came into view. Kassandra drew her sword and shield in one fell swoop- charging into battle. She rammed her shield into the nearest Templar soldier and precisely pierced through his armor with several, swift slashes before he could even react. The other Templars turned from their opponents of Inquisition soldiers and fixated on Trevelyan's appearance. A few warriors charged but were cut short by a volley of crossbow bolts and chain lightning blasts, courtesy of Varric and Solas respectively.

"We are not apostates!" Cassandra pleaded with the remaining Templars; even as she had to slice one down. Next to her, Kassandra ducked under a wild sword swing and, simultaneously, blocked a stream of arrows from piercing her neck. She grunted, kicking her opponent squarely in the chest, and finished the downed Templar with her sword speared through his chest plate. Varric deftly leapt out of the way of a Templar warrior, dodging the double-bladed war axe being aimed at his head, until the attacker was subdued by several Inquisition soldiers coming to his aid. He then riddled one of the archers hiding behind limited cover with holes from his bolts.

"I do not think they care, Seeker." Solas grunted, twirling his staff into a Templar archer that prowled too close for his comfort. Seeker Pentaghast refrained from commenting, too preoccupied with assisting Trevelyan in finishing off a particularly tenacious Templar. The two female warriors flanked their opponent on either side and both struck; leaving the Templar no chance for escape. The battlefield was eerily silent for a blissful, fleeting moment. To the east, the familiar chant-like cries of apostates rang out and the Inquisition soldiers charged straight into the danger. Kassandra and her party sprinted into the fray after exchanging grimaces amongst each other. Solas waged his own war of arcane prowess from a distance, backed by a torrent of arrows from Varric. That served as a distraction as Seeker Pentaghast and Trevelyan marched with the soldiers to avoid the magic traps laid across the ground in glowing runes.

"For the Inquisition!" Kassandra snarled and leapt past the snares and brandished her sword at one of the mages. She was only allowed a few, light scratches on the mage before he vanished in a flurry of book pages and reappeared ten feet away. Seeker Pentaghast, along with some Inquisition soldiers, cornered two mages and quickly dispatched their limited defenses. Solas and Varric handled the third and final mage through playing a game of long-distance strategy and projectile warfare. Kassandra scrambled backwards when she was blasted with a burst of fire and retaliated by battering the mage with the blunt end of her sword hilt. The mage stumbled and teleported away for the second time, except into the waiting embrace of Seeker Pentaghast's sword. There was no moment to breath as anther series of battle cries came from the opposite side of the Crossroads with a small collective of warriors in Templar armor marching. The Inquisition regrouped within seconds.

"More coming our way!" Solas hissed warningly while conjuring an explosion of ice to encapsulate one of the templar warriors for Kassandra to slice through her and shatter her into a million bloodied shards. The Templars were taken off guard by the ferocity of the few Inquisition soldiers; the small number deceptive to the power of victory's proximity bestowed upon them. Seeker Pentaghast and Varric backed two Templars into a corner and finished them off in a hail of sword strikes and arrows. Solas and Trevelyan encircled the evident superior of the group; Solas and Kassandra alternating an offensive-defense strategy. Kassandra ducked under the blade of a greatsword and rolled back as she parried each attempted swing with astounding kickback. Varric and Cassandra returned, coated in blood and breathing heavily. Varric sported a slash in his uniform but showed no signs of stopping. The foursome surrounded the Templar and rained blow upon blow down on him- the templar not lasting much longer.

As the cries of battle subsided and the final templar crumpled lifelessly in the dirt, many faces poked out from hiding places in lodgings. The expressions ranged from terrified to borderline relieved and were worn by a variety of faces. Tentatively, some of the refugees stepped out from their protection and resumed their routine. Others still hid behind their shelter like skittish halla fawns; examining the newcomers who fought off the warring forces. Trevelyan, followed by Cassandra and Varric and Solas, approached two of their soldiers cementing the simplistic heraldry of the Inquisition. The soldiers saluted Trevelyan, which she acknowledged and returned the salute. She shared a glance with Seeker Pentaghast; before she left in search of Mother Giselle. She headed towards a group of Inquisition soldiers gathered by a small, makeshift infirmary- climbing the stairs. There, across the way, a Chantry sister kneeled beside a soldier laying on a cot and a mage waiting patiently. From her distance, Kassandra could only make out her distinct accent as she spoke in a motherly tone to the soldier.

"There are mages here who can heal your wounds… Lie still."

"Don't-," The soldier stuttered fearfully "…let them touch me Mother. Their magic is-"

"-Turned to noble purpose. Their magic is surely no more evil than your blade." She interjected peacefully before the soldier could paint an accusation.

"But… uh…"

"Hush, dear boy. Allow them to ease your suffering…" Mother Giselle whispered to the soldier and he lay down as he was ordered.

"Mother Giselle?" Kassandra approached Mother Giselle; standing a few feet away. Her head, tilted to the side, analyzed the Chantry sister and her words of comfort. Mother Giselle did not seem afraid of magic as could be said about many of her counterparts within the Chantry. A wrinkled, sepia face greeted her with eyes aglow in unmistakable wisdom.

"I am. And you must be the one they are calling 'The Herald of Andraste'

Kassandra shifted anxiously, "Is that why you asked for me? The Chantry has already-"

"I know what they've done."

"Then, not to sound ungrateful, but why I am I here?"

"I know of the Chantry's denouncement and I am familiar with those behind it. I won't lie to you- some of them are grandstanding, hoping to increase their chances of becoming the new Divine. Some are simply terrified. So many good people, selflessly taken from us." The two strolled as Kassandra absorbed everything Mother Giselle proclaimed. They stopped close by the stairs she originally climbed.

"What happened was horrible." Trevelyan and Mother Giselle exchanged matching expressions of a contained sadness.

"Fear makes us desperate, but hopefully not beyond reason. Go to them. Convince the remaining clerics you are no demon to be feared. They have only heard frightful tales of you. Give them something else to believe."

"Will that potentially make it worse?"

"Let me put it this way: you needn't convince them all… you just need some of them to doubt. Their power is their unified voice. Take that from them, and you receive the time you need."

"Thank you, Mother Giselle."

"I honestly don't know if you've been touched by fate or sent to help us… but I hope. Hope is what we need now. The people will listen to your rallying call as they will listen to no other. You could build the Inquisition into a force that will deliver us… or destroy us. I will go to Haven and provide Sister Leliana the names of those in the Chantry who would be amenable to a gathering. It is not much, but I will do whatever I can." Kassandra and Mother Giselle then headed off in opposite directions of one another with Trevelyan in search of her party. She spotted statuesque Cassandra first and jogged over to them standing along the stagnant river running through the Crossroads.

"So, what did she say?" Varric pressed when he noted the stony visage of Trevelyan

"Mother Giselle had a suggestion for how to approach the Chantry clerics; it may seem outlandish in some regards but I believe that it has the potential we are looking for to smash the unity of the Chantry." Kassandra admitted confidently to her compatriots.

"We have the information we required from Mother Giselle. Perhaps we should head back to Haven." Solas remarked, leaning calmly against his staff. Seeker Pentaghast seemed satisfied with that and the two of them faced where they came from. Varric started walking when he noticed that not everyone was

"Uh, Seeker and Chuckles…" Varric trailed off, eyeing Kassandra standing silently at the riverbed. She hadn't moved, merely looking over her shoulder for a few moments. She couldn't leave- not like that. Her parents raised her better than that.

"I can't." Kassandra was rooted where she stood; watching the despondent, hopeless expressions many of the refugees wore. This war was tearing their lives apart and taking a toll on them- she couldn't just leave. She saw the hunger in their eyes and their frail forms. She saw the grey hairs from stress. She sensed the despair. Now that they had what they came for, Kassandra's undivided attention fixated on her surroundings- which hung heavy with the emotional drain of the war suffocating the noblewoman.

"Herald-," Seeker Pentaghast attempted to grab her, but Trevelyan evaded her grasp easily. Her azure eyes glimmered transparently with hurt and she defensively backed away from her party.

"These people are in desperate need of help! There must be something we can do. Cullen suggested we expand our influence... what better way to do it than helping those abandoned by their faith? The Chantry is failing its people by ignoring their plight and I, as a woman of faith, will not follow in their shortcomings." Where there was hurt marred across her face before, glimmered overt fury as she observed the refugee camp. Kassandra scowled and stomped her foot against the dirt before heading up to where Corporal Vale waited. She pointedly ignored Cassandra's hushed demands for her see reason as she marched up the hill defiantly. The eyes of soldiers followed her, awestruck, as she approached the solidary man on the hill- standing beside a single tent. "Excuse me, I assume you are Corporal Vale?"

"Herald of Andraste!" Corporal Vale, startled, exchanged a salute and scrambled to bow to Trevelyan- seemingly unsure how to address her.

"These refugees need the Inquisition's assistance- beyond what we've already done… What can I do?" Kassandra stated brusquely. Despite her previous anxieties, she knew what she needed to do to help these people in the best way she knew how. She was willing to get her hands dirty like she did back in Ostwick where she did good deeds and charitable acts for the destitute- much to the chagrin of most of her family.

"Besides the fighting along the King's Road, the refugees are short on warm blankets for the cold nights and the food supply is threatening to run short. In the northern hills, there are hordes of rams roaming around. However, unarmed refugees run the risk of encountering either apostate mages or templars and putting their lives at risk. There is a hunter in the village somewhere that has been complaining of such issue. As for the cold, a recruit by the name of Whittle has informed me of potential caches of the apostates that would have blankets for the refugees. You would have to talk to him- he's around the area."

"Thank you… and I might need a few of your men." Corporal Vale signaled a few soldiers upon Kassandra's request and they flanked the Herald as she gracefully descended to the Crossroads; where her party stood waiting. Cassandra, with a sour look upon her face, marched up to Trevelyan.

"Look Cassandra, I don't know what sort of opinion you have regarding nobility and how we interact with 'commoners'… however, if you think I am going to leave without doing something to help these people, you have another thing coming. Restoring order entails much more than bringing the mage-templar fighting to a halt and these refugees need us, more than anyone else. The Chantry can wait."

"Then you aren't going alone." Kassandra and Seeker Pentaghast broke their determined staring match to glance at Varric behind them. He ambled over to Kassandra's side and glanced back at Seeker Pentaghast, "These people could benefit from the Inquisition's generosity and you can't deny having the face of the Inquisition, in Trevelyan, doing such selfless works would counteract the heap of fabrications the Chantry is spewing out of fear."

Cassandra sighed, "I suppose you do have a point. Though I might disagree with you, I cannot allow you to go off alone." Kassandra swallowed roughly and nodded. She surveyed the current scene and resolved to fix it.

"Thank you, Cassandra." The foursome, now in agreement and flanked by a small entourage of Inquisition soldiers, headed back the way they came. They trekked uphill at a brisk pace in moderate silence. The soldiers, hesitant, marched a few feet behind the foursome to give them privacy. Varric and Solas rounded out the rear and Trevelyan and Seeker Pentaghast resumed point position.

"So, here we are elf- cleaning up another human mess." Varric declared to his non-human companion and Solas seemed uncharacteristically amused by the idea. He sported a smirk-unlike his typically intelligent, yet removed expression.

"What would the Inquisition do without our stabilizing influence, Master Tethras?" Solas pondered aloud and Varric shrugged nonchalantly

"I assume they just start burning things

"That does sound like most humans I know."

"If you _gentlemen_ are quite finished…" Cassandra snapped at them, barely turning her head over her shoulder blade to incinerate them into ash from her intensity.

"Now, now… don't get touchy. We're just here to lend you simple humans our help." Varric raised his hands momentarily in defense before unslinging Bianca from his back. He spotted the first ram less than twenty feet away and trotting around.

"-Before you cause everything to explode."

"Well, I've already done that once… so I think we've made quota for now." Kassandra jabbed back and the group lapsed into a brief quiet as they approached the unsuspecting ram. As the group grew closer, Varric loaded a bolt into Bianca and positioned himself.

"So, who do you think is the toughest: Josephine, Leliana, or Cassandra?" Varric resumed the conversation as he lined up his first, and hopefully only, shot on the still unsuspecting ram.

"Which one?" Trevelyan chimed up from wiping off the blood from her sword; azure eyes twinkling in good-natured laughter.

"I'm right here you know!" Seeker Pentaghast spluttered indignantly at Varric, the dwarven archer doing what he did best: irking Cassandra Pentaghast.

"That doesn't rule you out, Seeker… or you for that matter, Herald." Varric spotted another ram grazing a few feet away and lined up his shot perfectly. He swiftly released the bolt and the second ram collapsed inches from the first.

"Cullen's not in consideration?" Solas questioned and Varric raised his eyebrow at the elf.

"Curly? They just keep him around to look pretty." Varric snickered, winking at Kassandra in the process. Trevelyan flushed a soft pink in the cheeks at the notion. She shook her head while she retrieved the first and second ram carcass; slinging the dead weight over her shoulder as if it weighed as light as a feather. One of the soldiers scrambled over and took one of them from her, she didn't protest. The foursome continued along the dirt road while shooting down a ram every few moments. Within the next few moments, Varric had crept ahead of the group and eliminated the remaining eight rams for the eight members of the Inquisition. Loaded with rams and no sign of any mages or templars lying in wait, Kassandra led her silent part down the hill. The smell of raw, exposed ram flesh made Kassandra slightly nauseous but she held through without as much as a single complaint. The unison marching and clicking of boot heels reverberated throughout the woods.

The group steadily approached the entrance to the Crossroads, which had Kassandra sharply taking in breath and her heart pounding away in her chest. The quiet chatter of the refugee camp screeched to a standstill at the image of Kassandra Trevelyan, carrying a bloodied ram carcass in her arms, strode through the masses and laid the first corpse at the feet of the hunter. Seeker Pentaghast, Varric, Solas, and the remainder of Vale's men subsequently followed at laying their corpses down. The hunter gaped astonished at the ten, juicy rams being handed to him by these strangers. He had heard whisperings about the Inquisition and their so-called Herald and was as skeptic as the next about her supposed divinity. But seeing her stand in front of him, bearing the fruit of altruism in the form of the rams the refugees needed, he realized that she might just be the answer to the people's prayers.

"Will this be enough to feed the refugees?" Kassandra questioned the hunter as he examined the meat underneath the flaps of fur and he nodded almost excitedly.

"More than enough! With this, I can keep these peoples' bellies full for weeks. I have to admit, I wasn't so sure about you Inquisition folk yet you proved me wrong. Blessings upon you Herald of Andraste…" The hunter resumed his work on cooking the ram. A prideful Kassandra smiled to herself when she overheard hushed praises of the Inquisition. If that was the reaction to a few rams, then she couldn't fathom the response to stopping the Mage-Templar war.

"You know, I kind of like this feeling…" Varric mused, nudging Cassandra. Seeker Pentaghast rolled her eyes at Varric but didn't deny that following the Herald left her feeling good. She was able to humble her Pentaghast pride sometimes and perhaps the Herald would become a reasonable guidance.

"I suggest we send what we've learned to Leliana through her scouts. The next item on my agenda is finding caches, belonging to the rebel mages, which will provide warm blankets to the refugees to keep people from freezing to death." Trevelyan proclaimed to the soldiers she borrowed from Corporal Vale and they returned to their prior duties with a final salute. Trevelyan turned to her personal party- met with Seeker Pentaghast's and Varric's approving eyes and Solas' relaxed demeanor. Kassandra stood honored, remarking, "It might delay our journey back by a day or so; but we are going to leave the Hinterlands a little better than we found it."


	7. VII: The Sonata of War

VII: The Sonata of War

Kassandra lingered by the entrance to the King's Road; her sword removed from its holster and sparkling defiantly in the sun's light. With the looming issues of starvation and death by exposure for the refugees was handled, there was only one imminent danger besides the rifts that dotted the land: the mage-templar fighting. Their first objective was storming the apostate stronghold somewhere in the thickets of Witchwood before heading to dispatch the rumored Templar camp along the West Road.

She glanced over her shoulder, making sure Cassandra and Solas and Varric were prepared, and marched into the dark cave unwaveringly. She registered the familiar yet faint squeaks of a fennec darting through the cavern. Trevelyan and her party stormed through the opposite light end and onto the open warzone. Any buildings that once stood, from homes to businesses, were hardly recognizable under the inferno and bodies laid strewn across the arena. In the distance, Fort Conner laid a colossus of eroded stone and the apparent hubbub of fighting. Azure eyes examined the perimeter for any imminent threats and a vengeful streak of adrenaline surged through her mind upon seeing a decent congregation of Templars, looting the bodies of freshly slain mages behind the shelter of a couple trees. They were blocking the closest path into Witchwood and Trevelyan was certain that they wouldn't let her and her party pass without a scuffle. Scowling disgustedly, Kassandra lifted two fingers in a salute to Varric and whistled lowly- signaling him to release his shot the very second one of the Templars glanced in their direction. Varric crouched down and loaded a bolt into Bianca; peeking out from the cover of a few trees of their own. He purposely snapped a twig under the ball of his foot, the audible crunch drawing the attention of one of the Templars in the direction of Varric. However, before the alerted Templar could voice his concerns, the bolt flashed through the air and pierced him straight through the throat. The other two Templars whirled around and were met with two orbs of wintry frost exploding against their bodies- freezing them solid. Trevelyan and Seeker Pentaghast sprinted through the trees and halved the frozen Templars; the upper torso cleaved off the body and shattered upon impact with the ground. The foursome continued their charge into Westwood, awaiting any signs of nearby danger. The battleground of the woods glowed with the faded runes painted into any surface and the splatter of dried blood dotting the land red. Kassandra tiptoed around forgotten bodies, scavenged open by predators, and wrinkled her nose at the smell of rotting flesh.

"Ugh… that never gets any better." Varric groaned, his disgusted expression matching Trevelyan's. Cassandra suddenly halted and the rest of the group stopped in their places- all looking to the Seeker for guidance. Clutched tightly in her hands was a worn map of the Hinterlands.

"Around this area is where the refugees stated was the potential hideout for the apostates, but no one could give an accurate location." Cassandra sighed and her eyes darted around the clearing the group stopped in. "We are essentially walking around blindly with no inkling of where we must go."

"Not quite." Solas wandered towards one of the faded runes, palm outstretched, and laid his fingertips along the marking. His eyes closed in concertation as his staff burst in a twinkle of blue energy similar to that of the markings. Solas' eyes reopened and the glow dissipated. "The arcane trail of the markings is faint but I picked up enough of it to give us a general direction to go in. Currently, the trace points northeast… so we shall go north for now."

"Very well, you should lead us Solas." Seeker Pentaghast tucked the map away and stepped to the side; allowing Solas to amble his way to the guiding position. The foursome resumed their trek through the woods- waiting to stumble upon a gaggle of mages or templars out for blood. The late afternoon sun streamed through loose patches in the foliage and the landscape grew ever darker as the mountainous terrain of the Hinterlands eclipsed the sun from the party's view. Minutes of silence passed before Solas grimaced and faced the group without another word. The path, too faded for his arcane sense, vanished with the taunting laugh of defeat. Pentaghast removed the map from her bag and furiously began chartering the area and the party resumed their journey; once again unsure of where to even begin.

"I spy…" Varric nudged an exhausted Kassandra, trudging alongside him, with his elbow and a wink when Pentaghast scoffed and glared over her shoulder.

"No." Pentaghast's one-word denouncement of Varric's little game was enough to send him retracting his statement. Instead of paying him any more mind, she glanced at Trevelyan- the noblewoman's azure eyes glazed over in pensive thought. "Is there something troubling you, Herald?"

"Hmmm? Oh- You don't have to call me 'Herald', Cassandra. Trevelyan or Kassandra works fine, I suppose." Trevelyan stammered absentmindedly. "I- I was just thinking about my family."

"I see. Are you close with your family?" Before Kassandra had the chance to answer, an indiscernible yell resounded from across the clearing where several mages emerged through the woods, their staves were alit with magic. Seeker Pentaghast nearly drew her sword when Trevelyan grabbed her by the arm and pulled her behind the cover provided by a cropping of rocks while Varric did the same with Solas. Cassandra struggled against Trevelyan's surprisingly strong bind- for someone more lithe than brutish.

"I don't believe that those apostates noticed our presence yet, Cassandra." Solas declared calmly, after peeking around from the cluster. The foursome narrowly inched around their blockade to witness the apostates assaulting a stray Templar soldier. The foursome ducked back behind the boulders, evading

"It is obvious that they will be the victorious party… so why don't we follow them? They have a high likelihood of leading us straight to the stronghold." Kassandra's lips pursed as the plan unfurled in her mind and the different variables arranged themselves strategically. Every scenario ran through her mind for evaluation. "The likely outcome of discovering the apostate stronghold and those benefits greatly outweigh spending hours in the woods searching when that time could be put to more efficient usage."

"How will we follow them without being seen?" Pentaghast wondered, sneaking furtive glances to the mage party to make certain they did not disappear. The mages had easily dispatched the Templar soldier and were kicking around the fresh corpse. Faint laughter could be heard by the Inquisition party from the apostates

"I will. Stealth is my forte. I can trail them- until they reach their lair. Then, I'll come back and lead you to them. That solves for us wandering uncertainly through the woods and unintentionally running into any murderous apostates or Templars." Varric interjected, spurring a non-verbal conversation between Seeker Pentaghast and Kassandra. The two women exchanged matching expressions and Trevelyan nodded affirmatively at Varric.

"Be careful." Varric grinned at the noblewoman and effortlessly leapt from behind the boulders to another source of cover. Kassandra watched the dwarf seamlessly trail the mages undetected until he and the mages vanished into the distance. She clasped her hands and murmured a protective prayer to the Maker in Varric's stead. She wasn't sure if the dwarf was Andrastian- or religious at all, but a shield of faith was never something scorned upon. Seeker Pentaghast observed the swift prayer leaving Trevelyan's lips like a trail of summer birds taking flight in midday with great interest. Further down and leaning against a tree, Solas similarly watched Trevelyan as her eyes fluttered open. Azure eyes darted between the Seeker of Truth and the elven apostate's scrutinizing gaze before she unclasped her hands. Shuffling awkwardly, Kassandra distracted herself on a quest to remove unseen specks of dirt from her armor.

"I do not believe I have formally asked of you: are you Andrastian? Due to your knowledge of Canticles and the pious reputation of the Trevelyan lineage, I merely assumed that you were." Pentaghast cleared her throat and Kassandra's eyes flickered up swiftly- her expression was steely like a body of armor glinting in the sun.

"I am. My family certainly had a hand in my upbringing tied closely to the Chant of Light and the Chantry. Although I follow the Chant devoutly, that has never stopped me from noting the hypocrisy and wrongdoings my religion has justified. But I love the Maker and Andraste despite the atrocities many commit in their name." Trevelyan casually strolled over to a patch of elfroot and kneeled at the plant; she removed several tools to collect the healing herb from her pouch. She refused to make eye contact with Cassandra whose gaze she felt on her figure without sneaking so much as a glance back.

"So, what is your position on the mage rebellion?" Solas questioned, earning him a glare from Seeker Pentaghast. He ignored the pointed look and patiently waited for an answer from Trevelyan. Kassandra suppressed a sigh: a guttural reaction.

"Mages deserve their freedom just as any other person does. It was never their doing to be born with magical power that cast them aside by all society. They never asked for a miserable existence within Circles of Magi where abuses by Templars were commonplace. In theory, the Circles of Magi were meant to be places where arcane studies flourished. Instead, they became prisons where people locked away mages in fear. Fear breeds resentment… Resentment breeds hatred…and hatred is the vitriol that serves as the cornerstone of all conflicts and wars."

"Interesting…" Solas mused, the thoughts in his head tumbling around in his head like frothing ocean waves crashing upon the shores of the Waking Sea. Before he could get in another question, Varric reappeared in a puff of smoke and breathing heavily. Kassandra pivoted on her heel and rushed over to him.

"Did you find the apostate stronghold?"

"Did you doubt me for a second? The place lies northwest of here, along a frozen lake and behind a cluster of behemoth ice spikes. At the entrance to the cave is a magic barrier and a few hired arms along the road to the entrance. From the looks of them, it shouldn't be much trouble getting them out of the way." Varric boastfully grinned while cradling Bianca in his arms. There was a bolt loaded into the chamber- ready for a momentary skirmish.

"Excellent work, Varric. The faster we rid the Hinterlands of the fighting, the faster the villagers can return to some normalcy and we can focus our efforts on destroying the Breach." Trevelyan straightened her posture yet the warm smile dancing on her pouty pink lips conveyed her delight in their luck. With Varric taking the lead, the Inquisition party traveled through the thickets of Witchwood. The group moved through the foliage in focused silence and with swift footspeed. Trevelyan ambitiously wanted to stop the Templars and apostates before the sun set along the horizon that evening. Wandering through the maze-like forests daunted her but she trusted Varric to guide them. With every slight twist in the road, the echoes of fierce battle would fade out as the cries of another skirmish would interject in a rhythmic yet unsure pattern in the sonata of war. There was something in the art of war that struck a melody to a fever pitch in the heart of men. It promised all the riches of glory and power yet only to deliver desolation and untimely demise.

"We're almost there- not much longer now!" Varric signaled to the group from the lead position and the Inquisition party collectively drew their weapons in a single, tense breath. Crouched low, Trevelyan and Pentaghast edged their way to the front into the open clearing. Up ahead was the frozen over lake and the jagged ice pillars Varric described with moving specks that the two warriors assumed were enemy fighters darting in between cover. Varric slid onto the edge of a cliff ledge and arched up from his torso with Bianca in position to fire. Kassandra and Seeker Pentaghast sidled along two adjacent ice pillars while Solas lingered somewhere in between the two set-ups. Trevelyan whistled a famous Kirkwall tavern melody lowly as her signal to Varric to fire when ready; the slight breeze carrying her tune to the dwarven archer. He smirked at the familiar tune while leveling Bianca for the ideal shot at one of the fighters milling around.

"Do we really think that any Templars are dumb enough to attack us-?" One of the guards choked as a crossbow bolt sliced through the lack of armor and the skin of his chest to pierce a lung. Varric's shot rang true as the guard crumpled to the ground limply and a trickle of blood snaked out from the corner of his lips. Kassandra's jaw tightened when hearing the sickening crunch of the body hitting the rocks and the panicked shout of his partner.

"Templars!" The guard unknowingly raised his sword to rally the scattered forces but could barely blink as a concentrated orb of flame rocketed toward him and engulfed his body in unforgiving flames, scorching his skin. Trevelyan and Pentaghast charged forward, and the Seeker of Truth relived the guard of his pain by removing his head clean from his shoulders.

"Not quite right." Kassandra scoffed and easily dodged the clumsy swing of an axe by the third and final guard and parried with her blade. Varric released a volley of crossbow bolts that struck the guard's shoulder and right arm. The guard hissed and attempted another wild swing, which Kassandra blocked with her wooded shield. The blade of the axe embedded itself into the wooden surface of Trevelyan's shield and she ripped the axe straight out of the guard's left hand. A burst of frost energy encapsulated the guard into an ice sculpture and Kassandra launched her heel straight into the body, shattering the frozen guard into bloodied ice chips. As Trevelyan removed the axe from her shield and discarded it dismissively, Solas and Varric caught up to the warriors of the Inquisition.

"Well, shall we make our presence known?" Solas inquired, a single eyebrow raised with a rare glimmer of playful jest in his slate irises. Seeker Pentaghast chuckled gruffly and Varric snorted at the unusual but welcome display of humor from the typically disciplined Solas. Kassandra cracked a smile and cracked her knuckles underneath the iron gauntlets.

"We mustn't keep them waiting on us." She declared. The Inquisition party banded together and marched up the hill in uniform step. Blocking the cave entrance was a swirling vortex of orange energy that radiated the warmth of an uncontrolled blaze and most of the group blocked their eyes except for Solas. Wordlessly, the apostate launched an arc of frost energy from the top of his staff into the center of the vortex. The fire barrier exploded with a sudden current of dry, desert heat surging forward and the startled cries of the apostates inside the stronghold spurred the Inquisition party out of their brief stupor. They sprinted into the cavern and blitzed the apostates in pairs. Solas released an alternating torrent of fire and ice arcana while Kassandra nimbly wove through the projectiles with all the grace of a halla. Her precise swings laid waste to all enemies in her path undiscriminatingly and the bodies of her opposition eventually fell to her feet. On the other side of the cavern, Seeker Pentaghast and Varric challenged the apostate that asserted himself as the most powerful of the bunch. Cassandra Pentaghast dodged the rune traps casted on the floor while Varric unrelentingly fired a steady barrage of bolts and poisoned caltrops for the mage to trip over.

Moments later, Kassandra and Solas converged upon the leader alongside Varric and Seeker Pentaghast. The Inquisition party formed a semi-circle and boxed the panicked mage in. Seeker Pentaghast and Kassandra brandished their swords menacingly and when the mage raised his hand to summon his defensive spell, a crossbow bolt tore across the short distance like lightning to land with a sickening thud in between the mage's eyes. Solas stepped back as the body fell at his feet and he eyed Varric warily while bowing his head in respect. Trevelyan glanced over her shoulder and took a sweeping glance over the cavern- spotting a few precious materials and some potential equipment lying scattered.

"Perhaps we should search the stronghold for any items that could benefit the Inquisition… or that catch our particular fancy?" She mused aloud, a mischievous grin snaking across her lips. Varric chuckled heartily, more like a bark of laughter. He knew he liked Trevelyan. The group dispersed throughout the cavern in search of desirable items. Kassandra lingered close to the mage's body and before she realized it, she knelt beside the corpse and closed his eyes to mimic peaceful slumber. Glimpsing at his face during their altercation, she never realized how young he was- appearing no older than nineteen years of age. Only a boy and already killing in the name of war… It broke Kassandra's heart to see another victim of the zealous fervor of war robbed of their beating heart and breath. She averted her eyes a foot to her left where something sparked against the faint light of the cavern. Reaching over, she grasped the foreign object and it revealed a mage's staff. The staff handle was from gnarled tree bark with a shimmering cerise orb embedded on the top and a recently sharpened blade protruding from the bottom. Entranced by the beauty, Kassandra failed to observe Solas ambling over to her and placing a hand on her shoulder. She rose quickly and pressed the staff into his unsuspecting hands. "I believe this might pique your interest."

"I- Thank you." Solas stuttered for a second but quickly nodded his head in gratitude and claimed the staff of his own. Seeker Pentaghast marched over with a collection of embrium and elfroot in her arms while Varric was scavenging for loose gold across the way. Trevelyan removed the herbs from Pentaghast's arms and stored them in a special pouch given by Adan the apothecary.

"Our next move is to defeat the rogue Templars. According to the refugees, the rumored Templar camp is along the West Road. We must be going if we are to defeat them before sunset." Seeker Pentaghast removed the map from earlier and the Inquisition party exited the cave. After defeating the apostates, the surrounding area of Witchwood was eerily quiet. They marched back the way they came from in relative ease knowing that there was one less group out there that was actively hunting them. Once they reached the mouth of the trail that spilt out to the King's Road, Seeker Pentaghast pointed in the northwestern direction and the group began their trek. The road crested over several faintly green hillsides that most likely once glowed with the youth of Bloomingtide but were brittle underneath the pressure of footsteps. The land reflected the state of war through the slow decay of dying. The Inquisition party refrained from speaking so not to attract any unwanted attention from any Templars lurking nearby, instead, communicating through non-verbal signals and subtle gestures. Leading the group, Kassandra was on a constant swivel while noting the areas she would return to scavenge for goods. The open space melted away into narrow forest roads dotted with sparse trees and winding through the mountainous rock formations. When the coast was clear, the Inquisition party released an exhale of unadulterated relief.

"We have passed Lake Luthias and Calenhad's Foothold; therefore the West Road should only be a little farther up the path, correct?" Kassandra inquired, glancing back at Seeker Pentaghast who nodded and hummed affirmatively in response. Her braid whipped around to face forward upon noting the faint trickle of a river, signaling that the West Road was approaching. The Inquisition party arrived at the sight of a river flowing unobstructed by a broken bridge lying in disarray; the party quickly crossing the splintered bridge effortlessly. If rumor was correct, then the Templar camp was somewhere nearby.

"Tell me, Seeker… What do you expect to come of approaching the clerics in Val Royeaux? The idea is outlandish but it seems we've no other option." The remainder of the party was taken aback by Solas' question. But each of them rationalized a different outlook for the scenario created.

"I do not know, Solas. All I know is that it gives the Inquisition and the Herald a fighting chance against the accusation of blasphemy and heretical crimes. If we do not confront the problem head on, it will only continue to worsen." Cassandra stated with conviction. Her features remained firm despite the audible glimmer of hope in her voice.

"That or the Chantry clerics will see the Herald of Andraste marching into Val Royeaux as a direct threat to assert power and fear. They refuse to consider that Trevelyan is the Herald of Andraste and that is the bigger problem. I say that challenging them is a waste of breath." Varric grumbled indignantly and Trevelyan had half a mind to agree with his statement, but part of her knew that ignoring the issues would allow them to fester into larger issues.

"Frankly, I am not impacted by the allegations the Chantry levels at me. They are too busy squabbling over who will ascend to the Sunburst Throne to address the immediate danger in the Breach. My concern lies with proving them wrong through accomplishing for the good of Thedas. Now, having them be less hostile would certainly ease the burden of the Inquisition. But I will not worry myself over the ill-informed opinions of some Chantry clerics." Kassandra settled herself firmly in the middle ground between the best and worst possible outcomes, which weren't that far apart in the first place. She eyed Varric and Seeker Pentaghast warily, hoping that the two were not in the mood to scuffle over something so pointless. Fortunately, the dwarven archer and the Seeker seemed plenty content with her opinion and a relaxed silence washed over the group. Up ahead, the makings of a camp appeared in the party's view with a few Templars milling around the premises. Trevelyan and Seeker Pentaghast draw their swords in a single, fluid motion and stand behind the protective barrier of their shields.

Sneaking around a few of the tents, the two warriors waited for the right moment to ambush the two Templars drinking by the largest tent. Varric and Solas lingered a few feet back and out of the realm of danger. The dwarven archer picked up a smooth stone lying on the ground and hurled it with all his might against the one of the tents near the Templars. The noise of the stone skittering off the side of the tent spooked the Templars for a split second; long enough for Kassandra to surge out from hiding and slice one of the Templar's heads clean off his shoulders. The other Templar roared and swung her sword violently at Trevelyan's neck, which Kassandra parried with slight difficulty as the Templar was absurdly strong. Reacting quickly, Kassandra swung her shield in a quick yet wide arc and struck the Templar against her skull. The Templar jerked backwards into Seeker Pentaghast's sword and crumpled lifelessly. Cassandra Pentaghast removed her sword from the body swiftly and the two warriors focused on an off beaten path on their left that led to another camp. There were more Templars to deal with. Solas and Varric regrouped with Trevelyan and Seeker Pentaghast as the two warriors marched up the path to the secluded camp. Loitering by the gate were two more Templars in full armor and Solas could identify the sounds of talking farther into the camp. Seeker Pentaghast and Kassandra rushed directly at the Templars gaining their attention instantly. The two sides collided in the clashing of swords and the occasional punch thrown by Trevelyan. Solas grunted in concentration as he built up mana while Varric released a string of crossbow bolts to disorient the enemy.

"Stand back!" Solas directed at Kassandra and Seeker Pentaghast and when they leapt away from the Templars, waves of lightning radiated across Solas' palms and leaked like tears from the corners of his eyes. With a clench of his fist, a ring of lightning surrounded the Templars and electrocuted them through their armor. The Inquisition party stepped past the Templars and strolled forward towards an alcove where they heard hushed talking. Varric, utilizing stealth, snuck into the alcove undetected and the pained screams of three distinct voices was accompanied by silence. Varric leisurely drifted out of the alcove while whistling a tavern tune and chuckled at the disbelieving look and disgusted scoff he earned from Seeker Pentaghast. There was one last alcove where a surly Templar in heavy armor emerged at the sound of his allies' screams of terror and witnessed the Inquisition party waiting for him. Within seconds, Trevelyan and Cassandra Pentaghast were cornering him with their swords pointed at his neck. The Templar rashly attacked Seeker Pentaghast and earned a crippling kick to the back of his kneecap by Kassandra. Varric released a bolt that slipped through the chink in the Templar's armor around the shoulder blade, eliciting a groan of pain. That groan was nothing compared to the agonized gurgle when Solas released a second burst of lightning at the Templar. Seeker Pentaghast grabbed the few items on the Templar's person, including a serrated dagger that could slice a person open just by glancing at it. Seeker Pentaghast, Solas and Varric faced Kassandra for the next course of action. The Templar and mage war was finished by the Inquisition.

Kassandra sheathed her blade and faced her companions determined, "We must return to Haven and journey to Val Royeaux. I wouldn't want to leave the clerics idle for too long before they decide to accomplish something other than insolent bickering."


	8. VIII: The Blackened Golden City

VIII: The Blackened Golden City

Kassandra Trevelyan, followed by her party, lingered at the end of the bridge that led into the Val Royeaux marketplace. She soothed the bundle of nerves boiling in her stomach through deep breathing and silent prayer. There were hundreds of ways that the meeting could go horribly wrong and she wondered why she even followed through with the idea.

* * *

 _Kassandra sauntered briskly through the gates of Haven and towards the Chantry with an air of urgency. She had barely returned from the excursion in the Hinterlands when she was flagged down by one of Leliana's people who informed her that her presence was needed at the Chantry. She, without hesitation, headed to the Chantry. As she drew closer to the Chantry building, she observed a furious crowd and two figures heatedly arguing in the center: a mage and a Templar. She sprinted towards the commotion but was blocked by the curious crowd gathered to witness the argument._

 _"Your kind killed the Most Holy!" The Templar accused the mage._

 _"Lies… Your kind let her die" The mage pointed a taunting finger at the Templar._

 _"Shut your mouth, mage-!" The Templar went to draw his sword but before he could, Commander Cullen burst through the crowd and stepped between the two. He stretched his arms out to keep the Templar and mage a fair distance from each other._

 _"Enough!" Cullen roared and a hush lulled over the crowd. Kassandra, in awe, continued to edge her way through the crowd to reach the Commander. When people in the crowd noticed the Herald attempting to pass through, they would part with a rushed apology in fear of invoking her anger._

 _"Knight-Captain…" The Templar hissed, as if he expected Cullen to side with him._

 _"That is not my title… We are not Templars any longer. We are all part of the Inquisition." Kassandra detected a hint of sorrow and fury in his voice, deep-seated and raw._

 _"And what does that mean, exactly?" Chancellor Roderick ambled into the center of the crowd, his hands clasped behind his back. He sneered smugly at the Commander's sudden grimace. Cullen sighed as he formulated a response to the Chancellor that wouldn't make Ambassador Montilyet faint._

 _"Back already Chancellor? Haven't you done enough?" Cullen_

 _"I'm curious, Commander, as to how your Inquisition and its 'Herald' will restore order as you promised?" Chancellor Roderick mocked, clasping his hands together while he watched the gathered ground descend into whispers of doubt._

 _"Of course you are…" Cullen muttered under his breath at the concerned façade the Chancellor wore like an Orlesian mask. If the Chancellor was any good at hiding his intentions, his ambitious personality would have made him a fixture at Halamshiral._

 _"Single-handedly ending the mage-templar fighting in the Hinterlands is promoting the restoration of order, Chancellor… or has your deceitful campaign blinded you from the greater good of Thedas?" Kassandra, fed up with the Chancellor's undermining of the Inquisition, shoved her way through the crowd. Azure eyes neared the color of black with how stormy they grew and Chancellor Roderick prayed that Andraste might spare him before her alleged 'Herald' incinerated him into ashes. Cullen resisted the urge to smirk at the way Chancellor Roderick cowered in fear and extended Kassandra a thankful glance. He admired her downright terrifying display coming to his rescue._

 _"Back to your duties, all of you!" Cullen corralled the crowd away from the Herald and the people of Haven dispersed swiftly, hoping to avoid the wrath of the Commander or the Herald. Kassandra sauntered over to Cullen's side without breaking eye contact with the Chancellor._

 _"Cullen, why is he here?" Kassandra inquired, glancing up to meet Cullen's eyes. She glared at the Chancellor one last time before turning her back to him._

 _"He cannot do anything besides make rumors- he's toothless." Cullen replied, watching Chancellor Roderick slowly back away several steps and sprint in the opposite direction of the Herald. He snorted victoriously at the man's cowardice and Kassandra grinned when she noticed the Chancellor's abrupt vanishing act._

 _"I sincerely hope the solution that Mother Giselle suggested will work in silencing Chancellor Roderick. I am gaining a headache from his incessant deriding and my first instinct screams at me to punch him in the throat." Kassandra, still whispering, growled and cracked her knuckles loudly. The signs of exhaustion lingered in the dark circles under her azure eyes and weary posture._

 _"That is something I wouldn't mind seeing… Although, it would probably cause Ambassador Montilyet more stress and dealing with her sometimes is like edging around an angry ram." Cullen chuckled; the fire inside the Herald amused him. He would have never expected someone of her prim, noble background and fair stature to possess such intimidation and fire. If anything, he quite enjoyed it. "I believe Josephine and Leliana are awaiting our presence in the war room?" Nodding, Kassandra walked alongside the Commander through the Chantry. The dim lighting highlighted the shared features of exhaustion in the Commander and the Herald. The two strode through the Chantry in silence and Cullen opened the door to the war room for Trevelyan. She curtsied to him, on instinct, but caught herself and quickly scurried into the war room with her cheeks blazing red. Cullen followed behind her and rounded the table where Leliana and Josephine stood waiting._

 _"We found Mother Giselle in the Hinterlands and her suggestion was that I addressed the clerics in Val Royeaux… personally." Trevelyan averted her eyes onto the details of the map and fiddled with one of the figurines while the advisors processed the plan. The silence was deafening and the only sound was the faint murmurings of the Chant of Light by several Chantry sisters outside the war room._

 _"Having the Herald address the clerics is not a terrible idea." Josephine mused, nonchalantly twirling her writing utensil between her fingers. With her breaking the silence, the room was spurred back to life from the deathly silent atmosphere._

 _"You can't be serious!" Cullen's amber eyes glanced at Kassandra intently studying the map with worry laced in his disbelief. This idea spelled danger for the Inquisition, and more importantly, the Herald. Maker knows what awaited the Inquisition in Val Royeaux and there was a possibility that the Chantry would resort to violence to suppress opposition. It never stopped them before._

 _"Mother Giselle isn't wrong. At the moment, the Chantry's only strength is that they are united in belief." Josephine argued, invested in the idea to the fullest extent._

 _"And we should ignore the danger to the Herald?" Leliana interjected, interrupting the emerging debate between Commander Cullen and Josephine before things escalated. The advisors paused in thought and Josephine cleared her throat daintily._

 _"Let's ask her." Josephine gestured to Kassandra, who still had not responded to the conversation but who had listened to the entire exchange. Her eyelids drooped but she shook her head and suppressed a yawn._

 _"If you are asking for my opinion as to if this is a terrible idea, I cannot say definitively. But, for the Inquisition's sake, I am willing to approach the clerics." Kassandra straightened her posture and faced the others in the room assertively despite the inner exhaustion she battled._

 _"Do not underestimate the power of their words. An angry mob will do you in just as quickly as a blade." Leliana advised Trevelyan directly. The door opened and Seeker Pentaghast strode through aware of the whole argument she heard through the thin, wooden door._

 _"She will not go alone. I will go along with her." Seeker Pentaghast exchanged a glance with Kassandra and the two glanced back at the Inquisition's advisors. Commander Cullen, Leliana, and Ambassador Montilyet appeared satisfied with the compromise._

 _"It is getting late. If you need, I can establish a small task force of guards to accompany you to Val Royeaux as a precautionary measure when you leave in the morning." Cullen directly addressed Trevelyan, despite Seeker Pentaghast's presence and affirmation that she would also be placing herself in the crosshairs of danger._

 _"That will not be necessary, Commander, some mounts will do for my party… but I am grateful for the consideration…" Kassandra smiled graciously through heavy eyelids at Commander Cullen; azure eyes twinkled with a mixture of hope and determination._

 _"Erhm… Yes, uh, then please rest. You will require full strength for when you arrive to the Val Royeaux marketplace." Cullen cleared his throat awkwardly at the raised eyebrows from all the other women at the table; most notable was the small smirk and giggle from Leliana as she glanced between the Herald and the Commander. Seeker Pentaghast assisted Trevelyan out of the war room and back to her chambers while the advisors dispersed for their individual evening tasks._

* * *

"Whenever you are ready, Herald." Seeker Pentaghast drew Trevelyan out from her reclusive stupor with a firm pat on her shoulder. Shaking her head, Trevelyan suppressed the anxiety threatening to overbuild in her chest. The formality of her newer title made her uncomfortable to hear from her companions' lips. She was placed on a pedestal once again- championed as a divine messenger of Andraste- and there was nothing she wanted more than to vanish into limited notoriety. She was never the Trevelyan that adored the spotlight, but if needed to be, she would bend herself into that expectation for the Inquisition.

"Give me a moment more… I will be ready." Kassandra stared at the shoreline of the Waking Sea, a miniature blip on the horizon, and marveled at what she wouldn't give to be anywhere but outside the gates of Val Royeaux. Seeker Pentaghast complied by giving the Herald distance and she ushered Varric and Solas along with her. The soft breeze of Bloomingtide weaved through her loose tresses of chestnut and the sun glittered reflectively against the scales of her silver chainmail. _"His Light shall be our banner, and we shall bear it through the gates of that city and deliver it… Apotheosis 1:9…"_ The Inquisition party was startled by Kassandra's abrupt and powerful strides down the bridge toward Val Royeaux. Seeker Pentaghast, Varric, and Solas chased after Trevelyan, who unbeknownst to even herself, was radiating raw power from the mark on her hand. Soon, the Inquisition party paraded down the bridge in unspoken, united authority.

"The city still mourns." Seeker Pentaghast verbalized what they were all thinking internally, a hint of surprise in her voice. Two Orlesians, a woman and a man, strolled along the right side of the bridge but panicked and fled screaming the moment they recognized the foursome heading for the marketplace.

"Just a guess Seeker, but I think they all know who we are." Varric drawled, his eyes rolling and his voice saturated with irony.

"Your skills of observation never fail to impress me, Varric." Seeker Pentaghast replied in unabashed sarcasm to Varric's cheeky comment. Upon crossing the threshold of the first gate, Kassandra was addressed by a woman in Inquisition garb.

"My lady Herald," The woman kneeled a few feet from Trevelyan and Seeker Pentaghast shuffled forward.

"You're one of Leliana's people. What have you found?"

"The Chantry mothers await you… but so do a great many Templars."

"There are Templars here?"

"People seem to think the Templars will protect them from… from the Inquisition. They're gathering on the other side of the market. I think that's where the Templars intend to meet you." The spy stuttered while rising from her knelt position. There was a conflicted twitch in Seeker Pentaghast's expression but she pursed her lips and arched her shoulders proudly.

"Only one thing to do then: return to Haven. Someone must inform them if we are… delayed" The spy headed out from the city without further delay. Seeker Pentaghast exchanged furiously confused glances with Kassandra, Solas, and Varric. "They wish to protect the people? From us?" It was evident that the accusations and fear of the Inquisition bothered Seeker Pentaghast. The Inquisition had been her executive decision but it was Justinia's contingency should the Divine Conclave fail, and thus connected to her the most of that group. Not knowing what to say to console the distraught Seeker, Kassandra clapped a firm yet reassuring hand on her shoulder despite the obvious height difference between the two women. Seeker Pentaghast looked at Trevelyan, who wore a determined expression, and her non-verbal support released a surge of pride within the Seeker's chest. The Inquisition party resumed their march into the heart of the marketplace. Kassandra, never visiting Val Royeaux, marveled at the architectural wonders of the city from the sky blue buildings and red tapestry shops to the etches of gold all over. She couldn't believe the foreign and fabled beauty of Orlais that lay before her eyes. The foursome rounded the center tower and passed the public gallows when the waiting crowd came into view. Passing one small group, Kassandra overheard voices that warned to be weary of the Inquisition's representatives. She growled under her breath but kept her eyes focused on the clerics. People fearfully parted out of the way when they realized the 'Herald of Andraste' drew too close to them. The lead Chantry mother scowled at Seeker Pentaghast and Kassandra Trevelyan approaching her parapet. Behind her, a few Templars rested vigilantly and their eyes lingered on the Inquisition representatives with fear- and conflicted curiosity from a few.

"Good people of Val Royeaux, hear me! Together, we mourn our Divine. Her naïve and beautiful heart silenced by treachery! You wonder what will become of her murderer. Well, wonder no more. Behold the so-called 'Herald of Andraste' claiming to rise where our beloved fell! We say this is a false prophet! No servant of anything beyond her selfish greed…" The Chantry mother wailed to all in the crowd who would listen.

"Enough. I will not listen to these self-serving lies. We came to talk." Kassandra snapped and a silence dampened the crowd. Orlesians and foreigners alike listened with bated breath for what the 'Herald of Andraste' had to say. Her power was a mystery but it was undeniable how she controlled the crowd.

"It's true! The Inquisition seeks only to end this madness before it's too late." Seeker Pentaghast added as the voice of reason and peacemaking, seeing as

"It is already too late!" The Chantry mother pointed to her right impertinently to where Templars ascended the steps to the parapet. "The Templars have returned to the Chantry. They will face this 'Inquisition' and the people will be safe once more." She moved back to allow the Templars passage, but failed to prepare for when one Templar punches her in the back of the head. She collapsed on the wooden parapet and the crowd cried out in fear. One of the Templars from before, a young man of dark complexion, attempted to rush to assist the Chantry mother. However, one of the Templars stopped in front of him and patted his shoulder.

"Still yourself. She is beneath us." He stood in front of the Templar knight to keep him from assisting the Chantry mother. Trevelyan clenched her jaw and stepped forward to address the insolent actions of the Templars gathered. This wasn't conduct worthy of the Templar oath.

"What's the meaning of this?" She demanded and the Templar turned his head slowly while a conceited gaze reflected upon his aged visage.

"Her claim to 'authority' is an insult. Much like your own." The man responded dismissively, like he was speaking to a foolish child. Kassandra despised men like him, those who abused their power.

"Then what validity gives you the 'authority' to attack a Chantry mother?" Kassandra snarled back but her question was outright ignored. He strolled down the stairs of the parapet.

"Lord Seeker Lucius, it is imperative that we speak with-" Seeker Pentaghast chased after the Lord Seeker.

"You will not address me." The Lord Seeker dismissed Seeker Pentaghast instantly without skipping a beat. Cassandra Pentaghast halted

"Lord Seeker?"

"Creating a heretical movement… raising up a puppet as Andraste's prophet… you should be ashamed. You should all be ashamed! The Templars failed no one when they left the Chantry to purge the mages! You are the ones who have failed! You who'd leash our righteous swords with doubt and fear. If you came to appeal to the Chantry, you are too late. The only destiny here that demands respect is mine." Lord Seeker Lucius ranted and reminded Kassandra of a petulant child demanding attention. The Lord Seeker absolved himself of any guilt and wrongdoing at the expense of everyone else. Only a madman or a power-hungry snake would speak in such blasphemous and false ideas.

"If you're not here to help the Chantry, then you just came to make speeches? Lord Seeker Lucius, you are an absolute fool to ignore the Breach. It is the duty of the Templars to protect the people of Thedas, not to follow pompous and controlling son of a bitch like you." Kassandra unabashedly bellowed in front of the gathered crowd. A few snickers could be heard and a few people wondered how the supposed Herald of Andraste had the guts to publicly challenge the Templars.

"I came to see what frightens old women so, and to laugh." Lord Seeker Lucius scoffed indignantly but a trace of rage lingered in his tone. Kassandra huffed wolfishly, knowing she got under his skin. Lord Seeker glared at Trevelyan wishing his gaze would smite her to ash.

"But Lord Seeker, what if she really was sent by the Maker? What if-?" The knight pleaded with the Lord Seeker to give the Inquisition's people a chance.

"You are called to a higher purpose. Do not question." Another Templar interrupted and shoved past, asserting himself as the Lord Seeker's possible second-in-command.

"I will make the Templar Order a power that stands alone against the void. We deserve recognition. Independence! You have shown me nothing, and the Inquisition less than nothing. Templars, Val Royeaux is unworthy of our protection. We march." Without sparing a second glance to the Herald and Seeker Pentaghast, the Templars marched after Lord Seeker Lucius out of Val Royeaux. Kassandra rolled her eyes and scoffed disgustedly by the display as Varric strolled over to the two women.

"Charming fellow, isn't he?" Varric remarked upon reaching Trevelyan and Seeker Pentaghast.

"Has Lord Seeker Lucius gone mad?" Cassandra Pentaghast spluttered in disbelief at the notion someone she knew as humble and not power-hungry had transformed into a monster of his own greed and ambitions.

"Fortunately, the Templars are not our only hope." Kassandra reasoned with a mild shrug of her shoulders. Solas hummed in agreement with Trevelyan's statement; he was more inclined to side with the mages after the less than stellar display the Templars provided moments before.

"I wouldn't write them off so quickly. There must be those in order who see what he's become. Either way, we should return to Haven and inform the others." Seeker Pentaghast grimaced and the Inquisition party headed back to the entrance when an arrow lodged itself into the ground mere inches from Trevelyan's foot.

"What's that? An arrow with a message?" Kassandra leaned down and plucked the arrow out of the cobbled street. Attached to the close shot was a small parchment. Opening it, Kassandra read the note and studied the crude drawing at the bottom of the paper. The note was addressed by a 'Friends of Red Jenny'. She would ask Leliana to look into this Red Jenny character and what potential motivation these friends would have for contacting the Inquisition. She tucked the parchment in her pocket and the group continued on their way out- until they were intercepted by a courier.

"You are the Herald of Andraste, are you not? I have an invitation for you." The courier placed the invitation in Kassandra's hands before dashing away. She unsealed the invitation, which listed a cordial invite to a party hosted at the Chateau Ghislain in the Orlesian countryside. Signed in calligraphic script was the name of her hostess, First Enchanter Vivienne De Fer. Trevelyan was overwhelmed by the sheer number of cryptic messages and decided to save the invitation for Josephine to decipher if it was worth her time. Trevelyan resumed her journey out of Val Royeaux with her companions, aching to debrief with her advisors before getting something to drink at the tavern and perhaps drawing a tepid bath. The Inquisition party exited through the gates they came through before and were heading across the bridge where their simple mounts waited.

"If I might have a moment of your time?" A new voice called out to the Inquisition party and a lithe, elven woman in royal blue robes emerged from behind a pillar. She walked over to Kassandra with unusual confidence and an aura of power surrounding her.

"Grand Enchanter Fiona?" Seeker Pentaghast seemed genuinely shocked to see Fiona in Val Royeaux since her status was not respected by the nobility of Orlais like the Templars were.

"Leader of the mage rebellion. Is it not dangerous for you to be here?" Solas inquired of his fellow mage, but she answered him with an eyebrow raise.

"I heard of this gathering, and I wanted to see the fabled herald of Andraste with my own eyes. If it is help with the Breach you seek, perhaps my people are the wiser option?"

"Does that mean the mages will help us?" Kassandra cocked her head to the side, curious of the proposal. When some things sounded too good to be true, they often were. After the strange occurrences of the trip, she wouldn't take this at face value.

"We are willing to discuss it with the Inquisition, at least. Consider this an invitation to Redcliffe: come meet with the mages. An alliance could help us both, after all. I hope to see you there. Au revoir, my lady Herald." Grand Enchanter Fiona bowed to Kassandra and when she arose, she disappeared around a corner in the marketplace.

"Come, let us return to Haven." Seeker Pentaghast guided Trevelyan and she spared one last glance at Val Royeaux before turning her back on the marketplace. With all the whispers and drama, the golden city was blackened by the soot of sin.


	9. IX: Along the Waking Sea

IX: Along the Waking Sea

After spending several days establishing camps in the Hinterlands and tearing her way through unstable rifts to find the missing Horsemaster Dennet so the Inquisition could acquire a steady fleet of mounts, Kassandra was in dire need of new scenery. Since meeting the clerics in Val Royeaux and standing by as the Templars abandoned the city and the Chantry- potentially for good- the Inquisition found itself in a maelstrom of panic. The advisors were breathing down her neck to choose aligning with the Templar or the Rebel Mages; but neither solution felt quite right. There were details about both parties that were suspect in Kassandra's eyes

* * *

 _Kassandra and Seeker Pentaghast entered the Chantry, a palpable silence between the two of them. The events at Val Royeaux left both women stunned and racking their minds for solutions. The Templars abandoning the faithful may have destroyed the possibility of an alliance between the Inquisition and the order. As for Lord Seeker Lucius, Kassandra could not fathom his arrogance and wondered where he thought the Order belonged. If serving the faithful was beneath them, she feared what goal the Lord Seeker had his eyes on._

 _"It's good you've returned. We've heard of your encounter" Josephine emerged from one of the alcoves in the Chantry and approached Trevelyan and Pentaghast._

 _"You heard?" Pentaghast scoffed incredulously. She was baffled that the word of mouth traveled so quickly about Val Royeaux._

 _"My agents in the city sent word ahead, of course." Leliana clarified as she and Commander Cullen emerged from shadowy enclaves. The spymaster and Commander reached the assembled group quickly._

 _"It's a shame the Templars have abandoned their senses as well as the capital." Cullen declared sternly, his arms crossed over his chest defensively. He seemed in disbelief that the Templars would shirk their responsibilities the brazen way they did under Lucius' command._

 _"I agree… Something about the course of action taken by the Templars does not sit well with me. Nevertheless, we have established ourselves as a force in the battle against the Breach." Kassandra remarked proudly, reminding herself of the shocked faces of the Templars and Val Royeaux natives when she challenged Lord Seeker Lucius' authority._

 _"Yes, and we have the opening we need to approach the Templars and the Mages." Josephine pronounced, hopeful at the prospect of an alliance._

 _"Do we? Lord Seeker Lucius is not the man I remember" Pentaghast, for her part, sounded worried about Lucius. Whatever history they shared, Seeker Pentaghast was the most baffled by the abrupt change in his behavior._

 _"True- he has taken the order somewhere, but to do what? My reports have been very odd…" Leliana mused curiously. Her reports were unclear as to what Lord Seeker Lucius was scheming but all the signs pointed to nothing good._

 _"We must look into it. I'm certain not every Templar in the order will support the Lord Seeker. Cullen growled and Kassandra found herself subconsciously nodding along. She remembered the Templar who protested- not knowing his name but remembering his face. There had to be others like him who questioned the morality of Lord Seeker Lucius' decisions. However, Josephine appeared less than enthused about aligning with the Templars… as did Leliana to a lesser degree._

 _"Or the Herald can simply go to meet the mages in Redcliffe instead? Josephine suggested plainly, almost balking at the idea of pursuing the Templars when the rebel mages were presenting a deal with the Inquisition._

 _"You think the mage rebellion is more united? It could be ten times worse!" Cullen thundered back at Josephine. Sensing a brewing fight, Kassandra was not in the mood for another debate._

 _"Bickering about it is not the answer. The offer by the mages is still shrouded in mystery and I would like to pay a visit to Redcliffe myself before I make any decision on whose backing the Inquisition will employ in destroying the Breach once and for all." Kassandra snapped and Commander Cullen and Ambassador Montilyet stopped debating the merits of each side upon her assertive takeover of the conversation._

 _"I agree." Seeker Pentaghast chimed in and a slightly flustered Josephine grimaced._

 _"We shouldn't discount Redcliffe. The mages may be worth the risk." She declared, pushing the case for the mages once again._

 _"They are powerful, Ambassador, but more desperate than you realize." Pentaghast replied, a critical tone in her voice. Kassandra swept her eyes over to Seeker Pentaghast and the hesitation clicked in her mind._

 _"You think it could be a trap?" Kassandra inquired of Seeker Pentaghast, who nodded solemnly back at the Herald._

 _"If some among the rebel mages were responsible for what happened at the Conclave…" Pentaghast trailed off, allowing the remainder of the group to stomach what she was insinuating. However, Josephine was not convinced._

 _"The same could be about the Templars." Josephine reminded the group and a brief silence permeated the air until Commander Cullen spoke._

 _"True enough… Right now, I'm not certain we have enough influence to approach either group safely." He stated matter of factly. The other advisors and Kassandra all agreed that making contact was one trial and securing an alliance would be a separate one._

 _"Then the Inquisition needs agents in more places. That's something you can help with…" Pentaghast reminded the advisors while sneaking glances at the Herald. Kassandra had made split decisions out in the field that earned respect and a decent amount of fear from potential allies and enemies respectively; because of her- the legend of the Inquisition's deeds and mission was spreading. She was carrying a large burden as the face of the Inquisition that was far from necessary._

 _"In the meantime, we should consider all our options. Josephine murmured, and the group splintered off towards their individual duties. Kassandra for her part, secluded herself in small alcove in the Chantry and prayed to the Maker. It had been a good while since the last time Trevelyan isolated herself and removed all the stress from her shoulders by speaking to the Maker. To be honest, the process left her empty and yet, feeling as light as air. Feeling rather satisfied, Kassandra rose from her alcove and noticed the door to Josephine's office ajar and the sound of arguing coming from inside. Kassandra nudged open the door to find the ambassador arguing with a balding man in an Orlesian mask._

 _"The Inquisition cannot remain, Ambassador, if you can't prove it was founded on Justinia's orders." The masked man huffed wearily, unaware of the new presence in the room._

 _"This is an inopportune time, Marquis. More of the faithful flock here each day." Josephine stated calmly, not the slightest sign of panic at the prospect of the Marquis tossing the Inquisition out into the cold. She observed Kassandra walking closer to them and edging the door closed behind her. "But allow me to introduce you to the brave soul who risked her life to slow the magic of the Breach. Mistress Kassandra Divina Trevelyan, this is the Marquis DuRellion, one of the Divine Justinia's greatest supporters."_

 _"-And the rightful owner of Haven. House DuRellion lent Justinia these lands for a pilgrimage. This 'Inquisition' is not a beneficiary of this arrangement." Marquis DuRellion indignantly interjected, resuming the argument despite the presence of the Herald of Andraste._

 _Kassandra raised an eyebrow at the Marquis, "Interesting, considering the Inquisition was begun by the Left and Right Hands of the Divine."_

 _"I've seen no written records from Sister Leliana or Seeker Pentaghast that Justinia approved the Inquisition."_

 _"If we won't take her at her word, I'm afraid Seeker Pentaghast must challenge him to a duel." Josephine mused, sighing for dramatic effect. Trevelyan refused to outright laugh at the panicked expression on the Marquis' face._

 _"What?" Marquis DuRellion's eyes bulged out of the socket of the mask and he glanced around the room in fear._

 _Josephine, ever serious, faced the Marquis with a stern expression on her face. She placed a hand on her chest, "It is a matter of honor among the Nevarrans. Shall I arrange the bout for tonight?" Marquis DuRellion spluttered nervously and Josephine resisted the temptation to raise a brow at him._

 _"No! No. Perhaps my reaction to the Inquisition's presence was somewhat hasty." DuRellion sheepishly admonished._ _Kassandra, arms crossed over her chest, casually observed the exchange through a comical lens; watching Orlesian nobility squirm was a rare yet treasured experience for her. DuRellion sighed despondently, seeing as his negotiations were not turning in his favor. Josephine strode closer to the Marquis and lowered her voice to a comforting whisper._

 _"We face a dark time, Your Grace. Divine Justinia would not want her passing to divide us. She would, in fact, trust us to forge new alliances to the benefit of all, no matter how strange they might seem." She declared, charm emanating from her words like beams of light from the sun. Marquis DuRellion was moved by what she promised him._

 _"I'll think on it, Lady Montilyet. The Inquisition might stay in the meanwhile." DuRellion agreed before leaving through the office. Josephine exhaled in relief and slid down into the nearest seat._

 _Kassandra stepped forward once again, "I apologize for the intrusion. I didn't realize you were meeting with the Marquis."_

 _"You did little harm. In truth, the debate was most beneficial as practice for those to come." Josephine_

 _"You expect more people in Haven?"_

 _"Undoubtedly. And each visitor will spread the story of the Inquisition after they depart. An ambassador should ensure the tale is as complimentary as possible."_

 _"The Inquisition is lucky to have you as an advocate, Lady Montilyet." Trevelyan admitted confidently with a smile._

 _"Thank you. Let us hope so. Thedas's politics have become… agitated as of late. I hope to guide us down smoother paths." Josephine gracefully slinked behind her desk and reclined back in her chair. She studied Trevelyan with an appraising eye. "May I ask you something, Mistress Trevelyan?"_

 _"Certainly!"_

 _"I'd like to discuss your parents?"_

 _"Of course. Anything you'd like to know in particular?" Kassandra couldn't stop the brief flicker of joy she registered in her chest at the thought of her parents. She had wondered about them ever since her permanent residence at Haven and work with the Inquisition started. Above all, she wondered if her parents and her siblings worried about her. Word must have spread to Ostwick about her newfound powers and the Conclave by then._

 _"I'd like to dispatch a courier asking the banns of House Trevelyan to align themselves with us. What are your thoughts? Should we approach your family for their formal support of the Inquisition?" Josephine inquired, hoping for a positive response. The Trevelyan name attached to the Inquisition was a good start in the forging of alliances with other nobility._

 _"My parents are on a first name basis with most priests in Ostwick, and I have a dozen cousins in the Chantry. When they hear I've been 'touched by Andraste', you'll have to stop them from giving you money. My parents and I are close- it would be best if the letter came from me. As for the remainder of my family, the Trevelyans never turn down a partner if there's something in it for them… from the way my relatives scramble for status, you would think we were Orlesian." Kassandra's soft tone stiffened, and the light of the room highlighted the biter edge in her azure eyes. Josephine, seemingly at a loss for words, opted to steer away from the topic further. Family was more of a touchy subject than Trevelyan would elaborate on._

 _"I'll take that as a yes? Val Royeaux has noted your lineage. It gives the Inquisition some legitimacy, although not so much as we'd hope." Josephine admitted and Kassandra glanced at her curiously. There was dryness in her throat and she tempered the initial flare with a mere breath. She loved a good political- or intellectual- debate, but Orlais was another beast entirely and she was no stranger to how prejudice was a national sport among the nobility there._

 _"And why is that?" Kassandra cleared her throat pointedly and Josephine glanced up from her scattered papers._

 _"You are from Ostwick. Orlesian nobles consider the Free Marches somewhat… quaint." Josephine carefully selected her words, hoping not to offend. However, the dark shine in Kassandra's eyes informed her that the Herald had rather strong feelings on Orlesian's judgment of her homeland._

 _"Of course, they do… just like they consider everyone in Fereledan beneath them. Besides, Orlesians are just baffled Free Marchers governing themselves without an empress to hold their hands." Kassandra chuckled darkly, thinking to herself that she could use something from the tavern to quell the headache pulsing against her temple. Her sardonic tone betrayed the irritation Trevelyan buried. Orlais was full of hypocrites and their elitist attitudes were nothing new, but that did not mean she had to like it._

 _"A peasant might get away with that insult, but not someone of your stature." Josephine chided Trevelyan. She had hopes that the Herald would enjoy the presence of nobility since her background was one of noble status, but her hopes changed to where she hoped that the Herald could play the game well enough that she could deceive those nobles who allied themselves with the Inquisition for less than noble purposes. From what Josephine could tell about Kassandra was that she admired honesty and righteous values above all- that she was a woman of ideals and conviction._

 _"Ambassador, I assure you that I have much more tactful ways of expressing that to the faces of Orlesian nobility." Kassandra assured the ambassador with a wolfish smile that elicited a sigh from Josephine. The ambassador had an inkling that there would be a great deal of situations that she would have to diffuse due to the Herald among others in the Inquisition already._

 _"Speaking of which, I should thank you for your patience with the simple quarters. The accommodations in Haven are surely rough for someone of your birth."_

 _"Don't worry about me. Haven is more than livable." Kassandra smiled easily, and Josephine blinked, astounded by the sudden ease Trevelyan displayed._

 _"Really? If that is how you feel, I'm pleased to hear it. Until next time, my lady." Josephine bowed her head and Kassandra took that as her cue to leave her Ambassador. She wandered out of her office and through the town of Haven to where the stables were. A ride through the woods sounded rather relaxing before she departed back to the Hinterlands._

* * *

But the issue could wait for a small while longer. The Inquisition received word from the Storm Coast, sent from a mysterious figure calling themselves 'Iron Bull' and his band of mercenaries The Bull's Chargers. The message detailed suspicious activity with a group of bandits along the shore and when an Inquisition party attempted to clear out the bandits, they vanished. Moreover, this 'Iron Bull' character proposed a potential alliance between them and the Inquisition. Kassandra decided that personally traveling to the Storm Coast to meet 'Iron Bull' and deal with the supposed bandits was the best course of action. Alongside Varric, Solas, and Seeker Pentaghast, Trevelyan made the journey to the Storm Coast on their newly acquired mounts. As the Inquisition party drew geographically closer to the Storm Coast, the weather grew fouler and the moniker of their destination was living up to the name.

"Did I mention how much I hate the rain?" Varric grumbled as the Inquisition party marched through patches of muddy soil after another rain storm. He grimaced upon inspecting his fine leather boots from Orzammar- now soiled by the dirt and grass of the hill. Kassandra glanced back sympathetically when Seeker Pentaghast interjected via a cough that did little to mask her characteristic annoyance with Varric.

"Fifteen times, Varric." Seeker Pentaghast's jaw clenched at the repetitive complaint by the dwarf, his alternating smug and lazy attitude was grating on what little patience she had. Varric rolled his eyes and seemingly bit back a retort when Trevelyan glanced back at the Seeker with a firm, exasperated weariness in her eyes.

"I, for one, enjoy the rain." Solas hummed, appearing content and in his element. Kassandra assumed that Solas enjoyed the outdoors and nature. At that moment, he wore a rare smile as they continued through the misty land.

"Of course you do, Chuckles." Varric snorted unimpressed. Solas merely raised an eyebrow but took Varric's cranky demeanor at face value. Instead, Solas inhaled deeply the fresh air and basked in the beauty of the outdoors. Kassandra registered the faint breeze and took in the damp air that tasted like the salt of the Waking Sea as a sign that they would soon arrive at their destination.

"We're almost there and it looks like the rain is letting up slightly. I know the Inquisition's reports on the bandits is concerning, but I think we should meet this 'Iron Bull' character first. They seem to have promising information and are not far from the Inquisition base camp." Kassandra declared to her party, running it through the group for approval. After the Hinterlands, Trevelyan made it a point to make sure they were on the same page. As she followed a faint outline of the road, she spotted the Inquisition camp along the cliff edge overlooking the shore. The Inquisition party arrived at the campgrounds in relief and Scout Harding emerged from one of the tents upon hearing of the Herald's arrival. Kassandra separated herself from the group and convened with Harding outside of the tents.

"Your Worship, for what it's worth- welcome to the Storm Coast. I would have sent word sooner, but our efforts have been… delayed." Harding danced around her words carefully.

"The bandits I assume."

"Yes, the bandits operating in the area have a firm knowledge of the terrain and our small party has had trouble going up against them. Some of our soldiers went to speak with their leader, but we haven't heard back though."

"I'll do what I can to find our people." Kassandra reassured Harding,

"Thank you, Your Worship. That's a relief." "The soldiers didn't have an exact location for the bandits, but they were starting their search further down the beach. With all this fuss, I have been unable to conduct a proper search for the Wardens either. Well, good luck and enjoy the sea air… I hear it's good for the soul." Harding chuckled and wandered back into the tent, leaving Kassandra to brief her party.

"Now, where could this 'Iron Bull' be waiting for us?" Trevelyan glanced out at the coast through the rainy, hazy atmosphere and ambled closer to the edge of the cliff. Varric and Seeker Pentaghast followed behind her while Solas lingered, sitting against the trunk of a nearby tree. Varric glanced down at the rocky shoreline below them and tugged on Kassandra's sleeve.

"You have a feeling that might be who we're looking for?" Varric inquired sardonically and Kassandra spotted an assorted group of fighters holding their own against a group of advancing troops, dressed in identical garb. Drawing her sword swiftly from its sheath, Kassandra sprinted back through the camp and down the faint path to the beachline. Solas, Seeker Pentaghast, and Varric caught up to her rather quickly and the Inquisition party entered the fray. Her Inquisition party remained grouped together as they challenged a group of enemies and she wound up deeper in the battle. Trevelyan leapt in between one of the ragtag warriors and a sword, parrying the attack easily. She kicked the bandit in the chest, knocking them to the floor, before impaling her sword straight into their chest. From the corner of her eye, she noticed a Qunari warrior swinging around an ax and decided to fight her way closer- hoping that he was the suspected Iron Bull. As she dodged weapons and projectiles with her trademark grace and crippled foes to her will, she observed features of the suspected 'Iron Bull'. Standing easily over seven feet in height, the Qunari warrior's slate skin glistened in sweat and his muscular frame intimidated any of the bandits from getting too close. Most curious to Trevelyan was the eye patch he wore. The battlefield quieted when the final bandit dead with and the group surveyed the new arrivals, courtesy of the Inquisition.

"Chargers stand down! Krem, how'd we do?" The Qunari bellowed and his warriors lowered their weapons.

"Five wounded, Chief- no dead." A young man, who Kassandra supposed was Krem, replied with the ends of his lips quirked upwards in triumph. She recognized him from Haven since he was the one who invited the Inquisition to a partnership

"That's what I like to hear. Let the Throatcutters finish, then break out the casks." Kassandra strode over to the Qunari and he glanced her up and down, "So, you're with the Inquisition huh? Glad you could make it. C'mon, have a seat. Drinks are coming."

"Iron Bull, I presume?" Kassandra inquired

"Yeah… the horns usually give it away." Iron Bull affirmed and the two of them split away from the group to discuss business. Iron Bull rested on a large boulder and Kassandra opted to remain standing. "I assume you remember Cremisius Aclassi, my lieutenant." Iron Bull gestured to Krem, who approached the group

"Good to see you again. The cutters are done, Chief." Krem bowed his head politely at Trevelyan.

"Already? Have 'em check again… Don't want any of those Tevinter bastards getting away. No offense Krem."

"None taken. At least a bastard knows who's his mother was. Puts him up on you Qunari, right?" Krem snickered as he went to supervise the Chargers. Iron Bull focused on Kassandra and gruffly chuckled.

"So, you've seen us fight. We're expensive but we're worth it… and I'm sure the Inquisition can afford us." He chuckled and leaned back casually against the rock. Trevelyan observed the Chargers jovially opening the casks and surrounding them.

"The Chargers seem like an excellent company." Kassandra admitted; she was impressed by the tenacity of the Chargers in battle. Having more soldiers for the Inquisition was only a beneficial thing.

"They are, but you're not just getting the boys- you're getting me. You need a frontline bodyguard? I'm your man. Whatever it is… demons, dragons, the bigger the better. And there's one other thing that might be useful- it might piss you off. Ever hear of the Ben-Hassrath?"

"I can't say that I have." Kassandra raised an eyebrow, unsure of where Bull was going with this Ben-Hassrath angle.

"It's a Qunari order. They handle information, loyalty, security- all of it- spies basically. Or well, we're spies. The Ben-Hassrath are concerned about the Breach; magic out of control like that can cause trouble everywhere. I've been ordered to join the Inquisition, get close to the people in charge, and send reports on what's happening. But I also get reports from Ben-Hassrath agents all over Orlais. If you sign me on, I'll share them with your people." Iron Bull declared, as if proclaiming one's status as a spy of a potential enemy was a nonchalant manner. Kassandra was taken aback but did her best not to telegraph her shock to Iron Bull.

"All right. You're in." After a moment of deliberation, Kassandra smiled at Bull. This Ben-Hassrath angle was a potential threat. However, she held faith that Leliana would have tabs on all outgoing information and that the Inquisition could benefit more than the potential threat.

"Excellent. Krem, tell the men to finish drinking on the road. The Chargers just got hired!" Iron Bull bellowed to his lieutenant, who was guzzling down whatever substance filled that casket like he needed it to breath.

"What about the casks, Chief? We just opened them up- with axes." Krem slurred slightly, the buzz apparently hitting him. Trevelyan was unsure of whatever they were consuming but marveled at the efficiency.

"Find some way to seal them. You're Tevinter, right? Try blood magic." Iron Bull snorted jokingly and turned to Kassandra, serious. "We'll meet you back at Haven." Iron Bull headed over to help his men pack up for the journey to Haven. Seeker Pentaghast marched over to Trevelyan gazing out at the Waking Sea.

"Whenever you are ready, we shall find the missing Inquisition patrol." Seeker Pentaghast jarred Kassandra out of her thoughts and she nodded wordlessly. Seeker Pentaghast waved over Solas and Varric, the latter who was holding a mug of what appeared to be ale, and the group wandered further along the shoreline due east. There laid a pathway in the direction the soldiers were rumored to be heading in and the Inquisition party followed the trail away from the shore and into the more wooded area of the Storm Coast. Solas held the map in his hands and made detailed additions to the map such as landmarks and accurate depictions of the terrain. Kassandra assisted him in direction him, so he could focus on the map and not injure himself. They lingered in the back of the group and allowed Varric and Seeker Pentaghast to take point position on the scouting mission.

"Have you heard from any of your Kirkwall associates, Varric?" Seeker Pentaghast inquired, glancing over at Varric walking beside her.

"You're asking me? So, you don't read my letters?" Varric, astonished, clapped his hand against his chest and made a show of his surprise. Seeker Pentaghast rolled her eyes, promising herself that she would not give Varric the satisfaction of getting roped into his little game.

"You're no longer my prisoner… much as you like to act like it."

"Yet I still get all the suspicion." Varric grumbled and Seeker Pentaghast, before she could stop herself, roped herself into his gambit.

"I am not without sympathy, especially in recent events…" Seeker Pentaghast hissed, mildly appalled by Varric's little act.

"Why Seeker, I would never accuse you of having sympathy, By the way, I tend to refer to my associates as 'friends'. Maybe you're not familiar with the concept?" Varric grinned impishly when he noticed the Seeker's shoulders stiffen and heard the indignant huff under her breath. There was something amusing about getting a rise out of the Seeker.

"Ugh…" Seeker Pentaghast scoffed in usual fashion, hoping that would be the end of the conversation and regretting that she started it in the first place. As it always was with Varric, it never ended when she wanted it to.

"You know Seeker, for someone with your tact and charisma, you assembled a pretty good little Inquisition. I'm giving you benefit of the doubt in assuming you didn't drag them all here by force."

"How kind of you." Seeker Pentaghast clipped through grit teeth, focusing on scaling the steep hill instead of suppling Varric with a snark reply.

"I mean you never know. You could've kidnapped Ruffles and she'd be too polite to say anything!"

"Leliana recruited Josephine. They're friends."

"So, there's a rational explanation after all. Just when I thought you had layers…" Varric mused, almost disappointedly. Kassandra and Solas exchanged knowing looks between the Seeker and the dwarven archer. The entire conversation the two of them Trevelyan deftly snatched the remainder of Varric's ale and drank it herself, eliciting a bark of laughter from him.

"I think that's enough for you… You two should probably sort out your issues in your personal time- however it may be." Kassandra giggled, her tone laden with sternness and masking the slight innuendo of what she suspected to be the ulterior problem between Varric and Cassandra Pentaghast. The Inquisition party arrived at a cropping of wooden shelters and wondered if the missing patrol stopped by here. One of the cabins had the door ajar and Kassandra crept toward it nervously; her hand rested along the hilt of her sword on instinct. As she drew close to the cabin, she saw the outline of a body laying in the middle of the cabin floor and her heart sank. She sprinted into the cabin to see the bodies of all the Inquisition soldiers that went missing on patrol, left for dead by the bandits. Wiping at her eyes angrily, Trevelyan picks up a map with the location of the bandits' hideout and a letter that taunted the death of those soldiers. Seeker Pentaghast, Varric, and Solas entered the room solemnly at the sight.

"Well, shit…" Varric groaned and Kassandra furiously crumpled the letter into a ball and hurled it at the wall. The remarks left by the bandits, on behest of their leader, made it personal to Trevelyan

"I will make arrangements to notify the soldier's families." Seeker Pentaghast reassured Kassandra but something else caught the latter's attention. Off to the side, however, she noticed a body of one of the bandits- dressed in full garb- clutching some amulet in his hand. Kassandra pried the hand open and inspected the amulet, that gleamed golden in the limited lighting. She tied it around her neck defiantly and rose to face her party.

"We are going to handle those bandits. We know where they are, and they will be sorry for invoking the wrath of the Inquisition." Trevelyan snarled, and her companions parted out of her way when she stalked out of the cabin. They nervously followed her down the hillside and through dense forests until they reached the exterior of a fortress. Bodies could be seen hanging from the ceiling by ropes like nooses around their necks. Two guards waited at the entrance and pointed their spears at Kassandra drawing close, until they noticed the amulet glimmering around her neck. They swiftly retracted their spears and glanced at each other in awe.

"It's been a long time since anyone challenged the boss." One of them whispered and flinched when Kassandra glared at him before striding through the door unhindered. Her companions filled in behind her and observed as all the bandits, except one at the opposite side of the fortress, scurried out of Kassandra's way fearfully. She strode up to the man she assumed was their leader and removed the amulet from her neck, initiating a challenge by throwing it at his feet.

"Well, well, well… what do we have here? Is this a joke?" The leader growled mockingly and eyed Kassandra. He licked his lips like a hungry wolf and bellowed in laughter at her appearance; she was petite and striking in her looks and that made him underestimate what she could do.

"You killed Inquisition soldiers and I am here to make you pay." Trevelyan squared her shoulders and clenched her jaw, summoning all her anger to appear imposing.

"Alright, if you think you're so tough… But I won't be surprised when I get to hang your pretty little body from my fortress' walls…" He picked up the amulet and grinned at her, already thinking he had won the battle. His complacent grin goaded her into taking the first move. Before he could react, Kassandra launched her fist squarely into his throat and caught the whole spectators and her opponent off-guard. He choked roughly and rose angrily and drew his weapon. His first swing was too slow and easily parried by Kassandra's sword. She rushed at him with her shield and slammed it in his face. Trevelyan circled around him; she made sure to keep on her toes and dodge whatever strikes she could. The only contact her opponent made was with her shield or they clashed in a parry. The second she observed an opening in his defenses, she took it. Kassandra disarmed her opponent when she bashed her shield into his hand, forcing him to drop his sword on the floor, and in the next moment- ran him through the abdomen with her sword. The bandits gasped that someone beat their former leader with such precision and chalked it up to the challenger allegedly bearing the mark of Andraste. One by one, the bandits sunk to one knee and kneeled before Kassandra Trevelyan. She removed her sword and turned to face the marveling sight gathered behind her. One particularly brave individual skittishly walked up to her and bowed his head.

"Your Worship, the Blades of Hessarian are yours to command." He proclaimed and avoided eye contact with Trevelyan. By then, the fire in her eyes vanished as justice was served for the Inquisition soldiers. She surveyed the gathered forces.

"From now on, you are in the employ of the Inquisition and work on the side of the righteous." A rumble of assent reared over the crowd and the crowd dispersed to mundane activities. Seeker Pentaghast, Solas, and Varric joined Kassandra and the apostate marveled at the new force assembled and how quickly Trevelyan assembled it.

"Bringing the Blades of Hessarian under the control of the Inquisition was a brilliant tactic."

"Thank you, Solas. Let's hope they prove themselves a worthy acquisition like the Chargers. But for now, there are more important matters to attend to." Kassandra sheathed her sword away and headed for the door, glancing over her shoulder to her companions. "I think it's time that we pay Redcliffe a visit."


	10. X: Shadow of Tevinter

X: Shadow of Tevinter

Seeker Pentaghast admired the sight of the sun breaking on the horizon; in awe of the brilliant colors that painted the sky and the creations that were touched by the Maker's hands. The Inquisition party, lead under the direction of the Herald, waited at the edge of the Hinterlands' wilderness for their journey into Redcliffe- and subsequently- rebel mage territory. She marched back to the campfire where the majority of the Inquisition's warriors gathered. She watched Iron Bull and Varric exchanging raucous stories in between fits of laughter and Solas meditating on a nearby tree stump. On the opposite side of the fire, sat the newer members of the Inquisition. A surly man dressed with a dark beard and dressed in worn furs, Warden Blackwall. An elegant woman of dark complexion dressed in white and a metallic horn headdress, First Enchanter Madame Vivienne De Fer. A blonde elven woman dressed in red and who spoke in perplexing riddles and a thick Ferelden accent, Sera. Within the last few days, the Inquisition had enlisted the assistance of each with Trevelyan's silver tongue. Blackwall was recruited from a cabin deep in the woods of the Hinterlands where he was living out of a cabin- and training recruits- near Lake Luthias. Sera was recruited mere days after the confrontation with the Templars in Val Royeaux, being the mysterious sender behind the arrow that nearly clipped Trevelyan's arm. As for Vivienne, Seeker Pentaghast was not present, since only the Herald was invited to meet with her at a function of Orlesian nobility.

* * *

 _The Inquisition sent the Herald and her party on a mission into the Hinterlands at the behest of Leliana. There were rumors of a lone Warden living in solitude in the woods and Leliana was interested in recruiting him for his cause. Kassandra crouched behind a tree a few feet from a wooden cabin, signaling to her party lingering a little while back to avoid being seen. Azure eyes cautiously observed a broad-shouldered, rugged man in Grey Warden insignias and plain clothes pacing back and forward in front of a small group of young men she suspected were from nearby villages. He was lecturing them as the Inquisition party walked up boldly; Kassandra at the head of the group hoped that this was the Warden that Leliana sought._

 _"Remember, how to carry your shields! You're not hiding, you're holding. Otherwise, it's useless!" The Warden thundered to his conscripts and one of them flinched slightly. He paced in front of them and Kassandra, unsure of how to proceed, halted a few feet away._

 _"Blackwall? Warden Blackwall?" Trevelyan inquired, and the Warden appeared visibly stunned by this random woman knowing his identity. He stormed over to her._

 _"You're not- How do you know my name? Who sent…" He trailed off and threw up his shield between Kassandra and him and an arrow. The arrow thudded into the shield harmlessly and a battle cry rang out from the tree line. "That's it. Help or get out. We're dealing with these idiots first." Blackwall growled and dropped his shield. His sword was removed as he shouted to his charges, "Conscripts, here they come!" His conscripts followed him into battle._

 _Kassandra removed her sword and shield from their dormant positions and leapt into the fray. Seeker Pentaghast caught up while Varric and Solas waged their assault of bolts and fire blasts from a distance. They focused on the archer while the armed warriors surrounded the three, armed aggressors. Trevelyan and Seeker Pentaghast encircled one of the warriors and batted him around like a training dummy. Their prey attempted to run away but a final shield bash from Seeker Pentaghast sent him tumbling onto the floor and finding Kassandra's sword impaled downwards into his chest. The two warrior women watched the archer collapse in an arrow-riddled, singed pile of flesh and glanced at Varric and Solas exchanging a victorious chuckle. Kassandra noticed the conscripts struggling against one of the aggressors, so she darted into the flight and brought the aggressor to his knees within moments. She snuck behind him and swept out his legs before lobbing off his head in a swift, one-handed swing. The conscripts gaped at her, which Trevelyan didn't mind as she walked back to her companions. Blackwall finished off his opponent not a moment later, a blow to the back of his aggressor's head sealing his fate._

 _Blackwall staked his sword in the ground and marched over to the bodies of the attackers. He kneeled and grimaced, "Sorry bastards…" The conscripted boys awaited his further instruction and stood attentive when he walked away from the body. "Good work, conscripts. Even if this shouldn't have happened. They could've- well thieves are made, not born. Take back what they stole. Go back to your families. You've saved yourselves."_

 _"Warden Blackwall…" Kassandra approached him for the second time and maintained a fair distance. The last thing she wanted was to spook Blackwall and she needed the information he could give her about the Wardens vanishing._

 _"You're no farmer. How do you know my name? Who are you?" Blackwall questioned, the paranoia in his eyes._

 _"I know your name because I am an agent with the Inquisition. I'm investigating whether the disappearance of the Wardens has anything to do with the murder of the Divine." Kassandra stated relaxed as she sheathed her sword. She glanced up and watched his expression shift from worry to astonishment._

 _"Maker's balls, the Wardens and the Divine? That can't- No, you're asking, so you don't really know? First off, I didn't know they disappeared. But we do that, right? No more Blight, job done. Wardens are the first thing forgotten. But one thing I'll tell you: No Warden killed the Divine. Our purpose isn't political." Blackwall rambled, noting Seeker Pentaghast and Varric and Solas moving closer with a weary stance._

 _"I'm not here to accuse, not yet. I just need information. I've only found you… Where are the rest?" Kassandra questioned._

 _"I haven't seen any Warden for months. I travel alone, recruiting. Not much interest because the archdemon is a decade dead, and no need to conscript because there's no Blight coming. Treaties give Wardens the right to take what we need. Who we need. These idiots forced this fight, so I 'conscripted' their victims. They had to do what I said, so I told them to stand. Next time they won't need me. Grey Wardens can inspire, make you better than you think you are." Blackwall declared, his initial defensive response transforming into a statement of Grey Warden pride._

 _"It's been a pleasure, Warden Blackwall, but this didn't help at all." Trevelyan remarked sharply and turned to walk away. Blackwall seemed taken aback by her response and watched her begin to walk away._

 _"Inquisition… agent, did you say? Hold a moment." He stammered, gaining Kassandra's attention. She kept her back facing him, so he wouldn't see the victorious gleam in her smile. She had a feeling he would be convinced to help the Inquisition. "The Divine is dead, and the sky is torn. Events like these, thinking we're absent is almost as bad as thinking we're involved. If you're trying to put things right, maybe you need a Warden. Maybe you need me."_

 _Kassandra turned on her heel and contemplated his offer for a moment. She glanced at Seeker Pentaghast for her unspoken opinion and she nodded. She cleared her throat, "Warden Blackwall, the Inquisition accepts your offer."_

 _"Good to hear. We both need to know what's going on, and perhaps I've been keeping to myself for too long. This Warden walks with the Inquisition." Blackwall declared and followed the Inquisition party back to their nearest encampment._

* * *

 _Kassandra fished her sword from the carcass of an ambusher and grunted as she wiped the blade clean. She and her party, Seeker Pentaghast and Varric, were following the instructions left in clues that were scattered across the Val Royeaux marketplace. What they discovered were a few random people lying in wait for those affiliated with the Inquisition. Dispatching the warriors was an easy task as they were inadequately trained and arrogant about their chances. Seeker Pentaghast and Varric regrouped with Trevelyan, who was surveying the scene._

 _"I'm itching to find whoever sent those notes. They have some explaining to do." Kassandra declared as her azure eyes scanned the perimeter for any signs of the mysterious sender. Her eyes did, however, catch on the door in the distance and she speculated about what laid behind the door._

 _"You think they are behind the attempted ambush?" Seeker Pentaghast questioned Trevelyan, but it was Varric who interjected._

 _"That or they knew about it and wanted to warn us." Varric suggested and Kassandra nodded, interested in the unique perspective. Seeker Pentaghast hummed in agreement with Varric's posited theory, a rare occurrence of agreement between the two._

 _"We need to find them, so we can make that judgment call. My guess is that they're waiting up ahead, but so could a good deal of more ambushers." Kassandra admitted. Her mind was already working on strategy for both scenarios at lightning speed._

 _"We can take them down… We always do." Varric gripped Bianca tightly and the two warrior women drew their swords. The Herald and her companions inched closer to the door cautiously with weapons drawn. Kassandra, darted forward, and shoved the doors open- only to narrowly dodge a blast of fire aimed directly for her. She noticed a masked man standing off to the side and he cackled at her fierce glare before shooting another blast of fire, which Kassandra ducked under and rolled to a squatting position._

 _"The Herald of Andraste, how much did you expend to discover me? It must have weakened the Inquisition immeasurably!" He smirked from underneath his mask and Kassandra cocked her head to the side in confusion. She straightened and, with her companions, entered the courtyard space._

 _"I don't know who you are!" Trevelyan scoffed at her opponent. She expended practically nothing and she had no clue who was even attempting to challenge her or the power of the Inquisition._

 _"You don't fool me! I'm too important for this to be an accident. My efforts will survive in victories against you elsewhere." The masked man babbled on, seemingly unaware that Trevelyan was rolling her eyes at his pompous monologue. From the way he spoke, she would wager that he was a noble of some lineage with something to prove and a knack for overcompensation. The sound of a guard crying out in pain interrupted the masked man and an elven woman with a bow emerged behind the soldier's corpse._

 _"Just say 'What'!" She taunted, nocking an arrow tight in her bowstring._

 _"What is the-" Before the masked man could finish his sentence, the woman fired the arrow and it pierced straight through his throat. The woman groaned in disgust and strolled over to fetch the arrow. Then, is when she addressed the Inquisition party for the first time in the altercation._

 _"Squishy one, but you heard me, right? 'Just say What'… Rich tits always try for more than they deserve. Blah, blah, blah… Obey me! Arrow in my face!" She mocked as she ripped the arrow out from the corpse of the masked man. "So, you followed the notes well enough. Glad to see you're…You're kind of plain really. All that talk, and then you're just… a person. I mean, it's all good innit? The important thing is you glow? You're the Herald thingy?"_

 _"Sure, why not? I glow. What's going on?" Sera ignored the pointed sarcasm in Trevelyan's voice and shrugged._

 _"No idea. I don't know this idiot from manners. My people just said the Inquisition should look at him."_

 _"Your people? Elves?" Kassandra questioned and Sera laughed amused by Kassandra's utter bewilderment._

 _"Ha! No. People people." Sera glanced around and leaned in, whispering conspiratorially to the Inquisition party, "Name's Sera. This is cover. Get round it. For the reinforcements. Don't worry. Someone tipped me their equipment shed. They've got no breeches…" Sera cartwheeled away and readied her bow at the sound of guards shouting in the nearby vicinity. Kassandra, stunned by the whole display, merely armed herself with her shield and twirled her sword in her grip. She'd be the first to admit that this was the last thing she expected to witness after finding and deciphering the clues left throughout the marketplace of Val Royeaux._

 _Kassandra darted out from her cover and chased down an archer while blocking all his arrows with her metal shield, the arrow tips clinking off harmlessly. She resisted her jaw slackening when she realized that, true to Sera's word, the reinforcements were missing their breeches. She overheard Seeker Pentaghast splutter astonished and Varric snickering from behind her, but she halted her reaction as the reinforcements charged straight for them. She blocked a hail of arrows from two archers lingering in the shadows and chased after the lone warrior. Seeker Pentaghast stayed behind with Varric, remaining a guard in case any unexpected enemies got too close to the dwarf. From her peripheral, Trevelyan observed Sera and Varric engaging in an all-out war of arrows; they showered the enemy in a torrent of crossbow bolts and arrowheads at rapid fire speed. Chasing after the warrior, she tripped him up with a sweep of her legs and bashed her shield against his helmet. A resounding clang and the enemy crumpled to the floor, alive but severely disoriented. Kassandra flicked her sword and pierced through his abdomen for the final blow. He wailed dramatically and twitched before going still. Kassandra removed her blade with a grunt and strode back over to her companions, noticing the enemy archers riddled with shafts and bolts sticking out of their skin. Sera joined the Inquisition party with a beaming grin._

 _"Friends really came through with that tip. No breeches…" Sera snickered while walking towards the gate before stopping and facing Kassandra "So, Herald of Andraste… You're a strange one. I'd like to join."_

 _"Could we take a few moments for sense to reassert itself? Who are you people?" Kassandra questioned Sera. The elven woman fidgeted, figuring out how to explain to the Herald of Andraste about her friends._

 _"I sent you a note to look for hidden stuff by my friends, The Friends of Red Jenny. That's me. Well, I'm one. So is a fence in Monefort, some woman in Kirkwall… There were three in Starkhaven, brothers or something! It's just a name, yeah? It lets little people, 'Friends', be part of something while they stick it to the nobles they hate. So here, in your face, I'm Sera. 'The Friends of Red Jenny' are sort of out there. I used them to help you… plus arrows." Sera explained, speaking at a rapid fire pace that it was almost difficult for Trevelyan to keep up, but she managed._

 _"The Inquisition already has a network of spies at our disposal. How could you add to that?" Trevelyan inquired._

 _"Here's how it is: you 'important' people are up here, shoving your cods around. 'Blah, Blah… I'll crush you, I'll crush you! Oh, crush you…" Sera mimicked kissing sounds and Varric snorted, earning a quick elbow from Seeker Pentaghast. Kassandra raised her eyebrows until Sera cleared her throat and resumed her point, "Look at that noble asshole we fought…and what took him down? Just some houseboy who doesn't know shite, but knows a bad person when he sees one. Like those guards, I stole their… Look, do you need people or not? I want to get everything back to normal. Like you?"_

 _"All right Sera. I can use you and your 'friends'."_

 _"Yes! Get in good before you're too big to like. That'll keep your breeches where they should be. Plus extra breeches, because I have all these… you have merchants who buy that pish, yeah? Got to be worth something. Anyway, Haven? See you there, Herald. This will be grand." Sera cheered and bolted through the gates. Seeker Pentaghast appeared baffled and Varric whistled inconspicuously while rubbing a blood stain off Bianca's body._

 _"What did the Inquisition just agree to?" Seeker Pentaghast wondered and Kassandra walked up to her side, slapping her hand on the taller woman's shoulder._

 _"I have no idea, Cassandra…" Trevelyan shrugged and Seeker Pentaghast gaped at her, but said nothing as the trio searched for any usable items before heading on their way back to Haven._

* * *

Emerging from her tent, an exhausted-looking Kassandra ambled toward the warmth of the fire and the luring scent of a warm meal. As she seated herself on a rock with a hearty meal, she glanced up warily to the concerned glances of her Inquisition companions.

"What?" She growled, scattering the gazes of her companions. Trevelyan was embarrassed by the glimmers of pity she saw in their eyes. She pointedly focused her attention on her plate of food and her companions resumed their concerned glances. They noted the pallor of her skin, coupled with the dark circles under her eyes, with apprehension. That past night, faint screams and crying could be heard from her tent while she was sleeping and when she was awake, she opted to take a watch shift alone. Needless to say, most of the watch shifts were performed by Kassandra the previous night.

"We were just discussing our strategy to approach Grand Enchanter Fiona while we waited for you to wake." Seeker Pentaghast cleared her throat.

"I see." Kassandra flicked at her braid whilst she finished the small portion she allotted herself to eat. "So, the way I see it: we see what deal the rebel mages have to offer the Inquisition before returning to Haven. A simple plan and it doesn't automatically link the Inquisition to the rebel mages- allowing us more time to decide if we want to pursue the Templars." She rose from her seat and observed as the others bristled to a seated position of attention.

"I agree, my dear. However, we must consider the idea that these rebel mages are setting a trap and we are walking right into it." Vivienne mused to some murmurs of assent from various members of the gathered party.

"That is a possibility, but I am willing to make that risk for the Inquisition's goals in closing the Breach for good and restoring order." Kassandra remarked and Vivienne appeared satisfied by the Herald's response. "If everything is in order, I am going to prepare the mounts for the journey to Redcliffe. Bull, Solas, and Varric are coming with me to meet the mages." Kassandra headed to the opposite side of the camp where the mounts were temporarily housed and the group dispersed. Iron Bull, Varric, and Solas went to grab their weapons and travel packs while the others sought out activities to do while waiting. After fixing the mounts for her companions, Kassandra strode up to her personal mount Aria, a Free Marches Ranger. As if sensing her mood, Aria nudged Kassandra's open palm with her armored snout and whinnied softly. Trevelyan smiled and stroked her horse's snout with a gentle caress of her thumb; remembering the day that a messenger of the Trevelyan house arrived with a letter from her parents and Aria in her custom riding gear. She thanked the Maker that she chose to leave Aria back home to recover from a riding injury while she traveled to the Divine Conclave. Master Dennet and Harritt worked together to craft a set of armor for Aria to wear and thus, to demonstrate the ever-growing reputation of power and respect the Inquisition commanded.

"If I could have a moment of your time before you embark, dear?" Vivienne rounded out from the shadow of a tree and swayed over to where Kassandra stood alongside the mounts. Kassandra sighed audibly and leaned against the nearest flat surface.

"What is it?"

"Might I suggest that I brew you something calming when you return from Redcliffe for sleep? You need rest and many of us are worried about you after the events of last night, my dear. I am not here to pry, but to tell you I can discreetly assist in remedying your lack of sleep." Vivienne questioned with concern and that took Kassandra aback. A clear moment of genuine emotion was rare as Vivienne stood behind a reputation and a wall of defense from any emotion for the sake of the Game. Ever since she met Vivienne and recruited her for the Inquisition, Vivienne was the epitome of level-headed and rarely displayed vulnerable emotionality.

* * *

 _Kassandra shoved open the doors of Chateau Ghislain and tentatively stepped into the foyer of the estate, marveling at the timeless elegance of the décor. She wasn't expecting any physical confrontation yet carried a sword by her side. Orlesians were unpredictable… at best. However, she was looking forward to the game of unpleasant small talk and faking her way through a flippant conversation with nobles who grossly estimated their prowess at politicking. It always entertained her to manipulate the nobles who assumed they could manipulate her first. Walking up the stairs into the main level, Kassandra observed the squire drop his list of names and scrambled to reach it so he could announce her._

 _"Lady Trevelyan of Ostwick, representing the Inquisition." Upon his announcement of her name, Kassandra strode forward into the crowd and ignored any reaction her name might have solicited from the crowd. She scanned for anyone that could be the Vivienne who invited her here, yet no one stood out from the gathered crowd. She sauntered forward to the indoor fountain and approached two masked nobles who she discerned were watching her with a level of excitement._

 _"A pleasure, my lady. We so rarely have a chance to meet anyone new. It is always the same crowd at these parties. So you must be a guest of Madame de Fer. Or are you here for Duke Bastien?" The male inquired and his female companion interjected eagerly._

 _"Are you here on business? I have heard the most curious tales of you! I cannot imagine half of them are true." The woman's voice piqued in excitement and Kassandra smiled coyly. She knew that Orlesians were fond of tales of theatrical heroism and that worked to gaining alliances and advantages for the Inquisition. Besides, the stories they heard might not be far off from the reality._

 _"Everything you've heard? Completely true." Kassandra declared conspiratorially, her voice soft as a waxing flame on a candle wick._

 _"Better and better! The Inquisition should attend more of these parties." The woman gushed to Trevelyan and her male companion, the latter agreeing with a simple nod of his head._

 _"The Inquisition? What a load of pig shit!" Kassandra's head swiveled towards the stairs where some random noble descended and sneered at her presence. "Washed up sisters and crazed Seekers? No one can take them seriously. Everyone knows it's just an excuse for a bunch of political outcasts to grab power." The nobleman walked straight past her before rounding to face her._

 _"The Inquisition is working to restore peace and order to Thedas." Kassandra stated firmly, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at his grandstanding and desperate peddling to start a fight. Years with stubborn and agitating family members tempered her patience and tongue to know the ideal moment to strike for maximum damage inflicted on one's character._

 _"Here comes the outsider, restoring peace with an army. We know what your 'Inquisition' truly is. If you were a woman of honor, you'd step outside and answer the charges." He leaned in close to her face and hissed like a wounded animal, the sign of a desperate man wanting to prove his worth in a brawl. Kassandra nearly laughed at the thought of this man attempting to engage her in a battle of the blade. She would have disarmed him before he could even speak another pompous word. The nobleman, realizing that his words alone wouldn't provoke Trevelyan, he reached for his sword and his fingers gripped the rapier hilt. However, an icy sheen overtook his body and the nobleman froze with a pained grunt. From the staircase, a woman in all white descended the stairs slowly and a fog of frost surrounded her hands._

 _"My dear Marquis, how unkind of you to use such language in my house… to my guests. You know such rudeness is… intolerable." She spoke calmly, but her tone was as sharp and cold as a shard of ice._

 _"Madame Vivienne, I humbly beg your pardon!" The marquis wailed fearfully as she drew closer to him._

 _"You should. Whatever am I going to do with you, my dear?" Vivienne cupped the marquis' chin before facing Kassandra contemplatively. "My lady, you're the wounded party in this unfortunate affair. What would you have me do with this foolish, foolish man?"_

 _"The marquis doesn't interest me. Do whatever you like with him as it is your party, Madame." Trevelyan shrugged, rather ambivalent to what fate the marquis met. He attacked the Inquisition but failed at getting her angry. Besides, she would rather not soil the tile with his blood since she despised that Orlesian quirk of temper and would rather the hostess deal with the trouble as she pleased._

 _"Poor marquis, issuing challenges and hurling insults like some Fereldan dog lord. And all dressed up in your Aunt Solange's doublet. Didn't she give that to you to wear to the Grand Tourney? To think, all the brave Chevaliers who will be competing left for Markham this morning… and you're still here. Were you hoping to save your damaged pride by defeating the Herald of Andraste in a public duel or did you think her sword would end the shame of your failure?" Vivienne, with grace and poise, skillfully tore down the marquis for all to see. When he had nothing to say in response, she chuckled, "Run along, my dear. Do give my regards to your aunt."_

 _"I must say, that was a sight to behold." Kassandra, being diplomatic, remarked emotionless while her thoughts rejoiced in the humiliation of the marquis in such an effortless manner._

 _"I'm delighted you could attend this little gathering. I've so wanted to meet you." Vivienne gestured Trevelyan to follow, which Kassandra did. They passed through the chateau and sparse groups of nobility until they stumbled upon an empty hallway. Vivienne stopped beside a window overlooking the majestic courtyard in the sheen of the moonlight. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Vivienne: First Enchanter of Montsimmard and Enchantress to the Imperial Court."_

 _"Charmed, Lady Vivienne. I assume you already know who I am."_

 _"Yes… Ah, but I didn't invite you to the chateau for pleasantries. With Divine Justinia dead, the Chantry is in shambles. But the faithful flock to your banner, pinning their hope on you to deliver them from chaos. As the leader of the last loyal mages of Thedas, I feel it only right that I lend my assistance to your cause."_

 _"The Inquisition will be happy to have you, Lady Vivienne."_

 _"Great things are beginning, my dear. I can promise you that."_

* * *

"I'll think about it. It's been years since I had nightmares as horrible as last night's, but with everything going on- I wouldn't be surprised…" Kassandra trailed off when Varric, Solas, and Iron Bull appeared around the bend of trees ready for the journey. Vivienne quickly dismissed herself with a wave and headed back to camp.

"We ready to go, Boss?" Iron Bull inquired, mounting the Avvar war Nug, and while the other companions mounted their horses. Kassandra lead her horse further out before she mounted Aria in one swift motion.

"Yes, let's go." She commanded, guiding Aria down the slightly steep hill by the reigns. Her companions followed on their own mounts and the Inquisition party departed to Redcliffe. Within a matter of moments, they were passing through the Crossroads- now a thriving hubbub of activity- as a shortcut to Redcliffe. Many of the former refugees waved and hollered cheerfully when they noticed the Inquisition party trekking through the encampment. Kassandra, despite her weariness, smiled at the brightened faces knowing she did some good for these people. She led her group up the trail towards the east, where Redcliffe resided in the northwest direction from the Inquisition camp on the outskirts of the Hinterlands.

"Hey Varric, are you going to write me into one of your stories?" Iron Bull inquired, riding up alongside the dwarven author.

Varric chuckled, "How could I not?"

"When you do, make sure you describe the muscular tone right, 'cause this isn't just endurance work. There was a lot of strength training to get here. You wanna use words like: rippling, ripped… ripped is good too." Iron Bull declared, grinning at the thought.

"Huh, the Iron Bull belly was prone to rippling after every meal. He rarely wore a shirt as they ripped under the strain." Varric mused jokingly, holding back a bark of laughter after seeing Bull's grin fall flat.

"That hurts, Varric. That's hurtful." Iron Bull stated and the two laughed it off.

Up ahead, banners fluttered in the wind and marked the entrance to Redcliffe, but a little farther up the road, a Fade Rift sat and blocked the gate separating the Inquisition party and the rebel mages. Kassandra dismounted from Aria and stealthily maneuvered closer to the Rift. Upon her closer proximity, she felt the power of the mark on her hand throb. Iron Bull, Varric, and Solas dismounted their personal mounts and followed the Herald. At a certain point, the familiar energy of the mark burst open the portal and a slew of demons poured forth from the gate. Kassandra drew her weapon and rallied her companions into the fight. She and Bull charged directly into the horde of demons while Varric and Solas were providing support from a distance. Kassandra launched after a Terror, a green and limber foe that used portals to trap its prey, when the world slowed around her.

 _"What in Andraste's name?"_ She glanced down and she foolishly entered a field of yellow energy. Her movements were slowed drastically like she was swimming through an ocean of honey. She had no time to react before a Terror teleported just outside of the time bubble and swiped at her. Kassandra flew across the battle and hid the ground roughly.

"Trevelyan!" Varric hollered concerned, casting a cloak of shadow over himself and racing to her. Kassandra pushed up onto her forearms and grabbed her sword that skittered out of her hand. Varric helped her back onto her feet and in the next breath, took out one of the Terrors with a perfect shot.

"I'm alright for now. Thank you." She raced back into the fray and shouted loud enough for all her companions to here, "Beware the yellow circles! I think its manipulating time!" Kassandra bellowed and attempted to cut off the power source of the demons, using the mark.

"Time? That isn't possible!" Solas proclaimed in disbelief as he launched an orb of frost and froze the Terror that was dueling Iron Bull close to the Rift.

"With demons, anything is possible." Iron Bull grumbled as he bashed in the head of a Terror between a rock and his two-handed axe. Kassandra chased down the first Terror that emerged from the second wave and sliced it into ribbons out of anger. Through all the blood and guts of demons, her mind was trying to scramble for an answer and none would come. Something was very wrong in Redcliffe and she needed to know what was responsible. Bull cleanly sliced the head off another demon in a single swing and in the next; he sliced one down the middle. Above her head, the Rift went still and Kassandra leveled her hand and sealed the Rift. Her companions tepidly drew closer to her with expressions needing an explanation.

"Maker, have mercy! It's over! Open the gates!" A female guard jogged past the Inquisition and the people on the opposite side worked to open the gates. Kassandra crossed through and was approached by one of Leliana's men.

"We've spread word the Inquisition was coming, but you should know that no one here was expecting us." The scout, breathlessly, relayed to the Herald and her companions. Varric, Kassandra, Solas, and Iron Bull glanced at each other nervously.

"No one? Not even Grand Enchanter Fiona?" Kassandra questioned and was suddenly beside herself in complete shock… and then fury. The Breach was no matter to take lightly and she was getting fed up with all the games the mages and Templars were playing; the Inquisition seemed like the only institution in Thedas that was taking the possibility of impending doom with even the faintest bit of worry.

"If she was, she hasn't told anyone." The scout shrugged and it was definitive to Trevelyan that there was something very suspicious happening in Redcliffe. "We've arranged use of the tavern for the negotiations."

"Agents of the Inquisition, my apologies!" a new voice chimed in and Kassandra faced a wiry, elven man in brown robes. "Magister Alexius is in charge now, but hasn't yet arrived. He's expected shortly. You can speak with the former Grand Enchanter in the meantime." Trevelyan huffed disappointedly, but progressed with her companions to Redcliffe after gathering their mounts. On horseback, Kassandra galloped easily on the downhill path and was greeted to a quaint port village with wooden buildings and a thriving atmosphere. She dismounted Aria and tied her bridle to a post on the outside of the village, cautiously watching for any signs of danger. The Inquisition party wandered through town and asked the locals for directions to the Gull and Lantern, the tavern where negotiations were slated to take place.

"Time magic, the Grand Enchanter not telling people about the Inquisition coming, and magister… it doesn't take a genius to realize that something fishy is going on here." Varric hissed as the group moved through the village to Kassandra, who nodded.

"I agree. For now, we keep on our guard and remain wary." Kassandra whispered back and straightened her posture. The Gull and Lantern was in her sight. Entering the dark, empty bar, The Herald came face to face with Grand Enchanter Fiona.

"Welcome, agents of the Inquisition. What has brought you to Redcliffe?" Fiona greeted neutrally but Kassandra wasn't going to play games. She strode forward a few steps and squared her shoulders off.

"We're here because of your invitation back in Val Royeaux. Does that little reminder ring any bells?" Kassandra snapped, and Fiona blinked in shock.

"You must be mistaken. I haven't been to Val Royeaux since before the Conclave." Baffled, Fiona racked her brain and wondered who the Herald of Andraste might be mistaking for her. She knew that Val Royeaux was somewhere she avoided after the Circles disbanded for her own safety.

"Well, that's very strange, because someone who looked exactly like you spoke to me in Val Royeaux a few days ago." Kassandra blinked, her gaze boring holes into Fiona. She waited for any sign of faltering but there was none in Fiona's visage.

"Exactly like me? I suppose it could be magic at work, but why would anyone… Whoever or whatever brought you here, the situation has changed. The free mages have already pledged themselves to the service of the Tevinter Imperium." Fiona admitted hesitantly and the temperature in the room crawled into an icy chill. Kassandra's jaw clenched, and she bit back her tongue; the absolutely last thing they needed was a scheming magister from Tevinter meddling with the Inquisition's goals of restoring Thedas.

"This right here is why you can't trust mages." Bull gruffly stated and gestured to Fiona and her revelation. Kassandra was still reeling and wondering how that could be possible when Varric interjected.

"Andraste's ass… I'm trying to think of a single worse think you could have done. And I've got nothing." Varric mused bitterly at a loss for word.

"I understand that you are afraid, but you deserve better than slavery to Tevinter." Solas seemed visibly upset by the announcement, an undiscernible emotion crossed his face but vanished as fleeting as the gust of wind.

"As one indentured to a magister, I no longer have the authority to negotiate with you." Fiona remarked plainly, responding to the sharp opinions of the Inquisition's agents defensively. Kassandra's tone was as cold and sharp as a blade of ice.

"Very well, who's in charge now?" Kassandra crossed her arms over her armored chest when the door to the tavern opened. An older individual in a red hooded robe walked in and greeted the Herald and her companions with a jovial expression.

"Welcome my friends, I apologize for not greeting you earlier." He declared boisterously, and Kassandra's eyes narrowed. She suspected this was the Tevinter Magister responsible for the mages newly aligned status.

"Agents of the Inquisition allow me to introduce Magister Gereon Alexius." Fiona shuffled back and allowed Alexius the commanding position he newly attained.

"The Southern mages are under my command. And you are the survivor, yes? The one from the fade? Interesting…" Alexius leered at Trevelyan, his grin turning on a slight predatory edge. Kassandra grunted under her breath disgustedly and Varric itched to aim Bianca at Alexius where the sun didn't shine.

I'm here to get mages to close the Breach." Kassandra proclaimed, dryly and showing that she was in no mood for grandstanding. Her lack of sleep coupled with the suspicious events taking place in regard to the rebel mages was shortening her patience and aggravating her temper. Magister Alexius swallowed roughly and noted the dangerous glint in the Herald's eyes.

"Right to business! I understand, of course." Alexius waved Kassandra to follow him and the two sat, face to face, at a table. "Felix, would you send for a scribe please? Pardon my manners, my son Felix, my friends." A young man in yellow robes walked up to the table and bowed to the Herald before walking away. "I am not surprised you're here. Containing the breech is not a feat that many could even attempt. There is no telling how many mages would be needed for such an endeavor. Ambitious, indeed."

"Well, when you're fighting a massive tear in the sky, you can hardly afford to think small." Kassandra leaned back in the chair informally, but her tone retained the sharp edge of her cunning wit. Magister Alexius had no clue who he was negotiating with, she prided herself of being the type of woman whose opponents underestimated them.

"There will have to be-" Alexius trailed off when he and Kassandra spotted Felix limping back over to them with a glaze over his eyes. He barely reached the table before collapsing right into Kassandra and she, on instinct, caught him. She felt him place something into her hand, but the sensation was gone as quickly as it came. Magister Alexius rushed over to his son, "Felix!"

"My lady, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me." Felix apologized to Kassandra and she wanted to say something, but Magister Alexius was all over his son like a frenzied mother hen. Genuine worry was plastered across his face, unlike the mask he wore when greeting the Herald and her companions.

"Are you all right?" Alexius questioned, panic evident in his voice.

"I'm fine, Father," Felix assured Alexius, unconvincingly, and the magister refused to leave his son. Without thinking, Alexius left the table and headed toward the exit of the tavern.

"Come, I'll get your powders. Please excuse me, friends. We will have to continue this another time." Alexius started to take Felix away from the tavern, but not before Felix shot Trevelyan a meaningful glance. Alexius past Fiona, "Fiona, I require your assistance back at the castle."

"I don't mean to trouble everyone." Felix coughed, clutching his abdomen as he limped after his father and Fiona.

"I shall send word to the Inquisition. We will conclude this business at a later date." Alexius declared finally, leaving the Gull and Lantern. Gradually, people re-entered the tavern and the typical ambience of the place was in full swing. Kassandra glanced down at her hand to find a crumpled-up piece of paper, a note. She opened it, azure eyes widening. She signaled her companions close to her and swallowed roughly.

"Come to the Chantry. You are in danger." She read. Her face was pale like it had been earlier that morning, she walked into a trap. Her head jerked up in the direction of the Chantry. Her companions followed her to the exit of the tavern when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She glanced to her left, noticing a young man with a symbol on his forehead wringing his hands.

"Excuse me, are you the Herald of Andraste?" He was purposely adverting his eyes from Kassandra's. He wore warm robes like that of a mage, but something in the back of Kassandra's mind that told her that he wasn't a mage.

"I am. Is there something I can help you with?" Kassandra inquired, her display shifting to a calm and friendly demeanor as not to scare the man off. He looked like a spooked halla, ready to bolt.

"Sort of. Ever since the free mages have allied with Magister Alexius, Redcliffe hasn't been safe and strange occurrences are going on. I am a Tranquil and Magister Alexius has been forcing the Tranquils to leave as we serve no magical purpose. I have heard about your Inquisition and want to help. Although I am a Tranquil, I am an alchemist and can use my services to benefit the Inquisition." He explained in a jumble of words flowing from his lips at an unhuman speed. The pieces clicked in place when she recognized the symbol on his forehead as him being stripped of magical abilities- a tranquil.

"Very well…" Kassandra faded off when she realized that the Tranquil never introduce himself. After a moment he caught on.

"Oh, my apologies, Herald… My name is Clemence." He introduced, and Kassandra nodded.

"Head to the Crossroads and they will provide you with safe passage to our base camp. Welcome to the Inquisition Clemence." She instructed and received a relieved smile from Clemence.

"Thank you, Herald!" Clemence bowed his head and took off. She glanced back at her companions and shrugged; there was use in recruiting agents while they investigated. The Inquisition party exited the Gull and Lantern and marched to the Chantry. At once, the Herald and her companions charged into the Chantry and they witnessed a Fade Rift and one man fighting off Shades. He sliced through them with the blade on his staff and Kassandra realized that he was a mage. Piercing eyes observed the Inquisition party enter the Chantry and there was a hint of hope in his voice.

"Good! You're finally here! Now help me close this, would you?" He suggested with an ironic twist to his fruity voice. He leaned on his staff and inspected the Inquisition party, the Herald specifically, with great interest and fascination.

"Avoid the circles!" Kassandra commanded as she raised her sword. Her companions roared individual battle cries and they darted into the fray. Several shades and terrors formed from the Rift and slithered over to the gathered warriors. Iron Bull and Trevelyan met them, head-on, with their acquired steel. From the back, Solas and Dorian unleashed hell in match frost and lighting attacks respectively. Varric would vanish throughout the Chantry and emerge from the cloak of shadows with every successful arrow piercing through a shade with a hissing wail. Iron Bull was a fearsome sight; he frightened all demons who stared him dead in the eye into Kassandra's waiting blade. For her part, the Herald of Andraste ripped through demons as if they were straw training dummies. The two waves blended together as the Chantry floor became slick with blood and the innards of Fade monsters.

Finally, the Rift stopped spewing forth creatures and rippled into a glassy mirror state. Kassandra lifted her arm and with the mark, sealed the Rift as she learned how to do. Watching the Rift shatter into nothingness, the mysterious mage turned to look at Kassandra. He cocked his head to the side as he admired her. For a Southerner, she was quite the intriguing sight, "Fascinating… How does that work, exactly? You don't even know, do you? You just wiggle your fingers, and boom! Rift closed."

"Who are you?" Kassandra demanded, gripping the hilt of her sword in preparation to unsheathe the weapon, and put it between the Inquisition party and the mysterious mage.

"Ah. Getting ahead of myself again, I see. Dorian of House Pavus, most recently of Minrathous. How do you do?" Dorian bowed to Kassandra. She released her grip on her sword when Bull leaned over from behind.

"Watch yourself; the pretty ones are always the worst." Iron Bull growled to Trevelyan, raking his eyes over Dorian suspiciously. Kassandra raised an eyebrow at Bull but remained focused on Dorian. She was still cautious, as it was her nature in potentially dangerous situations, yet she believed Dorian was there to help her.

"Suspicious friends you have here." Dorian chuckled nervously, imagining what the Qunari could do to him if he suspected any tricks going on. "Magister Alexius was once my mentor, so my assistance should be valuable- as I'm sure you can imagine.

"Are you the one who sent that note, then?" Kassandra asked, and Dorian nodded, his lips drawing into a taut line.

"I am. Someone had to warn you, after all. Look, you must know there's danger. That should be obvious, even without the note. Let's start with Alexius claiming the allegiance of the mage rebels out from under you. As if by magic, yes? Which is exactly right. To reach Redcliffe before the Inquisition, Alexius distorted time itself." Dorian exclaimed, nearly causing Kassandra to laugh at the absurdity of the whole situation. The one alliance that presented itself as 'straight-forward' just became the most ludicrous one.

"That is fascinating, if true… and almost certainly dangerous." Solas mused, his mind imagining the endless possibilities and the power of the magic involved.

"I hope that's less dangerous than it sounds." Kassandra grimaced, her mind attempting to wrap around the concept of time-distorting magic. Were there any boundaries to magic's reach?

"More…The Rift you closed here? You saw how it twisted time around itself, sped somethings up and slowed others down. Soon there will be more like it, and they'll appear further and further away from Redcliffe. The magic Alexius is using is wildly unstable, and it's unraveling the world." The somberness in Dorian's voice echoed through the Redcliffe chantry and the Inquisition party exchanged glances of varying degrees of worry.

"You're asking me to take a lot on faith." Kassandra declared, the whole issue with the rebel mages becoming more complicated by the minute.

"I know what I'm talking about, I helped develop this magic." Dorian scowled at Kassandra's quizzical eyebrow raise, "When I was still his apprentice, it was pure theory. Alexius could never get it to work. What I don't understand why he's doing it? Rippling time to shreds just to gain a few hundred lackeys?"

"He didn't do it for them." Felix emerged from the shadows of the Chantry and walked towards the group. Kassandra, glad to see he was alright, was perplexed by Alexius' motivation. If not for the mages, what did Alexius seek to gain?

"Took you long enough. Is he getting suspicious?" Dorian inquired to Felix. In his eyes was genuine worry for his health. Kassandra examined the exchange with great detail and her mind wandered through all the possibilities.

"No, but I shouldn't have played the illness card. I thought he'd be fussing over me all day." Felix admitted, then turning back to the Herald and her companions. "My father's joined a cult- Tevinter supremacists. They call themselves 'Venatori'. And I can tell you one thing: whatever he's done for them, he's done it to get to you."

"Alexius is your father… why are you working against him?" Kassandra questioned, and Felix sighed.

"For the same reason Dorian works against him. I love my father, and I love my country. But this? Cults? Time magic? What he's doing now is madness. For his own sake, you have to stop him." Felix glanced down and that made Kassandra's heart wrench. He cared so deeply about his father that he was willing to go against him. It made her think about her own father and she could never imagine having to fight against him.

"It would also be nice if he didn't rip a hole in time. There's already a hole in the sky." Dorian drawled sardonically, a plain contrast to the complex emotion behind Felix's inspiration. Despite the strength of his biting sarcasm, Kassandra could see pain in him clear as day. Whether for Felix or Alexius she was unsure, but it was there. There was a depth and a lingering sadness beneath the bravado and grandiose character that Dorian presented, she could sense it. "You know you're his target. Expecting the trap is the first step in turning it to your advantage. I can't stay in Redcliffe. Alexius doesn't know I'm here, and I want to keep it that way for now. But whenever you're ready to deal with him, I want to be there. I'll be in touch… And Felix? Try not to get yourself killed." Dorian disappeared into the shadows of the Chantry after addressing Felix and the Inquisition.

"There are worse things than dying, Dorian." Felix murmured as he wandered out the opposite side of the Chantry, leaving the Inquisition party alone in the Chantry. Kassandra sighed yet silently led her companions back the way they came. They would return to their camp and debrief the others on the new developments. Kassandra had made her decision.


	11. XI: Champions of the Just

XI: Champions of the Just

With she and her companions outfitted in new armor, Kassandra Trevelyan thundered towards Therinfal Redoubt on the back of another mount. Her swift return to Haven after the strange occurrences in Redcliffe with the mages was a blur of Josephine currying favor with nobility and Kassandra preparing to face Lord Seeker Lucius. As soon as possible, Kassandra- alongside Seeker Pentaghast, Varric, and Solas- traveled to the fortress of Therinfal Redoubt, prepared for whatever might face them there.

* * *

 _"The Templars must help us close the Breach. The order was founded to fight magic!" Cullen debated once everyone settled around the war table. Standing across from him, Kassandra intently listened while her azure eyes flickered to Leliana fidgeting in her usual spot. The clash she worried the most about was between Cullen and Leliana for their opposing views on the Templars or rebel mages being the best to conscript an alliance with respectively._

 _"We must first convince the Lord Seeker to bring the Templars out of exile." Leliana reminded the group resolutely with most of her emphasis directed at the zealous declaration from Cullen. Kassandra could tell that Leliana preferred the alliance with the rebel mages over the Templars. But the rebel mages, in Trevelyan's opinion, were too far gone with Alexius' plan to serve Tevinter. Kassandra just knew there were more Templars who questioned the Lord Seeker's agenda and actions._

 _"We've received word from a knight-recruit. They gather at Therinfal Redoubt." Cullen produced the report and slid in onto the table. Kassandra leaned over the war table and read the report. Azure eyes studied each detail of the report. The Lord Seeker had some gambit in motion; what Trevelyan wanted was to get to the bottom of it._

 _"It has been vacant for decades. Why go there?" Seeker Pentaghast seemed baffled by the choice of Lord Seeker again. She remembered Therinfal as a training ground that the Seekers long abandoned for financial reasons. There was nothing about Therinfal Redoubt that stood out to her that would make that the first choice for the Templar refuge._

 _"We must approach the Lord Seeker again to get anywhere; we can ask him then." Josephine advised calmly, and Kassandra realized that they were failing to grasp the bigger issue here. It was how to get Lord Seeker Lucius to agree to a meeting with the Inquisition, not why his behavior was uncharacteristic; that was an issue for a later time._

 _"Maybe if we present a plan to seal to Breach, the Templars might ally with us." Kassandra's eyes flicked up when Cullen's hand grazed hers when taking back the report. She cleared her throat and straightened her posture, averting her gaze elsewhere._

 _"First, we must prove ourselves a more attractive prospect." Leliana instructed Trevelyan. Her reports from Therinfal Redoubt were still arriving at Haven with little clarity into what the motivations of the Lord Seeker. For the moment, the Inquisition was stumbling in the dark to please Lucius._

 _"If its status the Lord Seeker seeks, the Inquisition will approach him after allying with the noblest houses in Orlais." Josephine declared with determined vigor. Kassandra pressed her finger against her lip in deep thought while she pondered Josephine's idea. The Inquisition doing good deeds, under her suggestions, curried favor with Fereldan and cultivated a reputation with Orlais. The Inquisition could utilize that newly established reputation within Orlais to their advantage._

 _"They'll come with us to Therinfal and demand the Templars help close the Breach." Leliana ascertained, certain that approaching the Lord Seeker with a barrage of noble influence- besides the influence Trevelyan possessed as a noble of the Free Marches- as the best way to change the man's opinion of helping the Inquisition._

 _"You believe that will work?" Cullen blinked incredulously, not quite understanding how a few blathering nobles would convince the Lord Seeker to change his mind. The Templars, despite their current actions, served the Chantry above all others._

 _"Even the Lord Seeker would find it difficult to ignore so many nobles on his doorstep." Seeker Pentaghast chimed in speaking from personal experience. Out of all the gathered members of the Inquisition, she was the only individual in the room who knew to what extent of scrutiny Lord Seeker Lucius' boundaries held up under._

 _"Yes… especially when led by the Herald of Andraste." Leliana mused and all eyes fell on Kassandra. For her part, Kassandra shrugged off all the attention as she was growing accustomed to people staring at her so often._

 _"If it stops the sky from ripping open, I'm listening." Kassandra leaned forward on the war table after uncrossing her arms. On instinct, azure eyes flicked to stare at the currently dormant mark on her hand dully glowing with the new energy coursing throughout her body._

 _"Rumors you were saved from the Fade by Andraste have grown legion among the Templars." Leliana disclosed in a conspirator whisper and Kassandra's eyebrow raised. She was unaware that the rumors of her walking out of the Fade continued to spread._

 _"We've done our part to encourage them." Josephine interjected with a sly smirk creeping its way onto her lips. Kassandra hummed in understanding, even though she was not quite in agreeance with the tactic. However, she knew that these dark times called for some less than honorable measures to fix everything._

 _"A Herald with a few companions may be dismissed, easily set aside. That same Herald returning with noble support will be reconsidered, as will the power of the Inquisition." Leliana stated in unswerving certainty. She knew how people worked and only a few buttons would need to be pressed for the Lord Seeker to hear them out. That's all they needed._

 _"If I have a growing reputation, we may as well use it. Besides, it very well could be in the will of Andraste that we approach the Templars." Kassandra remarked, analyzing the plan in her mind. Having the Lord Seeker being a status chaser worked to her advantage. There were times, noble lineage and ties worked in her favor rather than give her a massive headache._

 _"If it moves the Templars to question the Lord Seeker's orders, he may rethink his stance." Seeker Pentaghast supplied helpfully after her contemplative silence. Kassandra's eyes flickered over to Cullen when she noticed him square his shoulders in her periphery …and was that a snicker under his breath?_

 _"With respect, after his appearance in Val Royeaux, hang what the Lord Seeker thinks." Cullen declared firmly, understanding that the recent actions of the Order were because of Lord Seeker Lucius._

 _"We do not need the Lord Seeker. We need his Templars, with or without his approval. The Breach will not wait for our differences to settle." Leliana stated ominously and the war room went eerily silent. The meeting was unanimously ended with everyone splitting to fulfill their lined-up duties. A few days later, the war table was occupied when Josephine reconvened the group after ravens returned with word from Orlais._

 _"Good news, several noble Orlesian houses will petition the Templars to help us stop the Breach. Lord Abernache will approach you. Sign nothing he offers, but his gossip is reliable." Josephine slid several letters of correspondence between her and noble houses from Orlais to Kassandra. Trevelyan read the letters with piqued intrigue and when she finished, a determined expression settled over her._

 _"We ride for Therinfal Redoubt tomorrow. It will be a few days journey to arrive there, which makes plenty of time for the noble houses to meet us there. We will march to ally the Templars to the Inquisition, even if it means forcing the Lord Seeker's hand." Kassandra proclaimed and Commander Cullen, Josephine, and Leliana exited the war room to prepare the proper arrangements._

 _"Who do you want accompanying you on the journey?" Seeker Pentaghast lingered behind and leisurely strolled around the table, her fingertips tracing the fabric of the map across Antiva and the Waking Sea. Trevelyan analyzed the various strengths and short-comings of her companions, comprehending that she would require a selection that wouldn't jeopardize the Inquisition's efforts to recruit the Templars._

 _"Varric since he, unlike Sera, can hide his emotions about certain nobles. Solas because I don't trust Vivienne to fall back on her magic if the Templars backstab us… and you since you have the best connection to the Lord Seeker of anyone within the Inquisition. Not to mention, your swordsmanship is quite admirable and I could use an extra fighter in the fray." Kassandra smiled at Seeker Pentaghast's stunned, slack-jawed expression. She remembered their first conversation after the founding of the Inquisition and the rocky start to their acquaintance. Kassandra wanted to change that because she could see the soul of a loyal friend underneath the gruff exterior of the former Seeker of Truth._

 _"I- Very well, Herald- Trevelyan…" Seeker Pentaghast shuffled her feet and wrung her hands. "I shall inform Solas and Varric to prepare their belongings for travel to Therinfal Redoubt at once… and I uh, must commend your ferocity on the battlefield and mastery of the sword as well." Seeker Pentaghast awkwardly added the last part before hastily exiting the room. Kassandra giggled to herself at how a small compliment could humble even the most fearsome of warriors. Studying the map, Kassandra twirled, between her fingers, the spare dagger she always carried on her- a gift from her grandmother- and stabbed it into the spot where Therinfal Redoubt laid on the map unceremoniously._

* * *

Kassandra surveyed the gathered nobility critically and attempted to discern which of the masked Orlesians Lord Abernache was. Dismounting in a single swing, she sauntered up to the fortress with her companions not far behind. Several heads turned to witness the sight of the Herald of Andraste, in full armor. Kassandra would bet a few silver pieces that the Orlesians had never seen a Free Marcher carry themselves with grace and poise like her.

"The Herald of Andraste! Lord Esmeral Abernache. Honored to participate. It is not unlike the second dispersal of the reclaimed Dales." Abernache "The Lord Seeker is willing to hear our petition about closing the Breach, a credit to our alliance with the Inquisition. Care to mark the moment? Ten Orlesian houses walk with you." Abernache bragged boorishly and Kassandra extended a polite smile, despite the inner urge she had to backhand the pompous smirk of his masked face. She would have rather attempted to storm Therinfal Redoubt before sucking up to Orlais for assistance. However, as much she hated Orlais for all it stood for, she knew that Josephine was right about forging alliances.

"I celebrate this paring. The Inquisition will benefit from the valuable assistance you and the other houses of Orlais offer." Trevelyan stated through a smile and a bat of her eyelashes at Abernache. Internally, she suppressed the shudders of disgust at her facsimile attitude and her subtle flirtations to a man who was old enough to be her father yet enough of an arrogant, sniveling bastard to compare to her uncle.

"I am glad to see such an intelligent assent to the representatives of the Inquisition." Abernache may have worn a mask, but that didn't cover his lecherous eyes admiring Kassandra and the disturbing grin that his lips curled into afterwards. She caught Seeker Pentaghast's disgusted expression and Varric's furious grit of his jaw, but she discreetly signaled for them to relax. She could handle it. Her companions marched behind Abernache and Trevelyan up a hill to the bridge leading to where more nobles loitered around. Except for the meeting point below, there were armored Templars stationed at the gate. "Speaking of the Lord Seeker, I don't suppose you'd divulge what finally got their attention? Rumor will if you won't." Abernache inquired and Kassandra halted in her path.

"What do you mean?" Trevelyan calmly inquired, but her mind was scrambling to strategize with the new information. Nobles from Orlais were only good for their loose lips and penchant for gossiping like dithering ladies with nothing better to do than socialize and hold sewing circle.

"The Lord Seeker won't meet with us until he greets the Inquisition 'in person'. Quite a surprise after the spat in Val Royeaux." Abernache sneered, hoping that the Herald would provide him with some gossip. However, Kassandra was more preoccupied with the recent development and adjusting her strategy for dealing with the Lord Seeker to pay Abernache any mind.

"The Inquisition only requested that the Lord Seeker assist in closing the Breach and nothing further. I hope the Lord Seeker is not going to grandstand with us. Time is valuable as the Breach will grow if left unchecked." Kassandra brushed past Abernache and scaled the remainder of the hill while the nobleman scurried after her with the hopes of currying more favor and attention for himself.

"Between you and I, the Chantry never took advantage of their Templars. Wiser heads should steer them." Abernache gossiped and Kassandra resisted an eye roll. When Abernache referred to 'wiser mind', she sincerely hoped that he wasn't referring to himself. "Here we are: Therinfal Redoubt." Abernache gestured grandly at the imposing fortress and Trevelyan glanced back at her companions with a weary look.

"Huh… it screams, 'I hate fun and kick puppies', doesn't it?" Varric off-handedly commented and Trevelyan found herself agreeing. Although his description was quite specific, she sensed the heavy and somber atmosphere hanging over the fortress like smoke.

"It appears they've sent someone to greet you." Lord Abernache mused and pushed off into the crowd toward the familiar Templar from Val Royeaux, waiting at the gate. Kassandra hissed at Abernache's crass display and stormed after him, her azure eyes darkening like storm clouds. Abernache seemingly was more concerned about his jockeying for influence rather than the fact that she had the position to bargain with the Templars, not him. As she moved through the crowd to greet the Templar envoy, Kassandra noted his posture reminded her of her older brother Theodorous, a military captain back in Ostwick, and a sense of trust washed over her.

"I present Knight-Templar Ser Delrin Barris, second son of Bann Jervin Barris of Fereldan. Ser Barris, may I be so honored as to present Lord Esmeral Abernache…?" The accented servant barely finished his proclamation of Abernache's presence when Knight-Templar Barris noted Trevelyan storming up after Abernache. Barris strode past Abernache unceremoniously and met Kassandra halfway.

"I'm the one who sent word to Cullen. He said the Inquisition works to close this Breach in the Veil. I didn't think you'd bring such lofty company." Barris mused, eyeing at all the gathered nobility with caution. Unlike the Lord Seeker and many of the other Knights who followed, Barris hardly understood why the Lord Seeker chased after status like a dog chased after its own tail.

"Barris… moderate holdings, your family. And the second son?" Abernache scoffed and Barris pointedly ignored him. Kassandra may have glowered fiercely at the nobleman and kept her face neutral, but Abernache's momentary flare of anger delighted Kassandra on the inside.

"This… promise of status has garnered interest from the Lord Seeker. Beyond sense. The sky burns with magic, but he ignores all calls to action until your friends arrive." Barris remarked as if the actions of the Lord Seeker perplexed him. Kassandra hoped that a Templar Knight would provide some clarity or insight into the inner workings of the Order presently since no one else in Thedas knew what was going on within Therinfal Redoubt.

"He is either a madman or a fool… The only way I was able to force his hand to hear the Inquisition out was bring an entourage of nobility. I never would have taken a man who devoted himself to a higher calling as a status chaser. Does the Lord Seeker believe the Breach will heal on its own?" Kassandra remarked to Barris, treading the balance between aloof and ardent in her displeasure with the Lord Seeker. Trevelyan wanted to make clear to Lord Seeker Lucius that the Inquisition was not one to be trifled with or dismissed.

"If he does, he's not confiding in us." Barris admitted softly and stepped an inch closer to Trevelyan, "The Lord Seeker's actions make no sense. He promised to restore the Order's honor, then marched us here to wait. Templars should know their duty, even when held from it… Win over the Lord Seeker, and every able-bodied Knight will help the Inquisition seal the Breach."

"I will speak to the Lord Seeker. However, if he will not listen- there is not much I can do… Ser Barris, I offer you and any other Templar who would consider defecting from the Order sanctuary within the Inquisition and a higher purpose." Kassandra whispered to him, hoping that no bystanders could hear her proposal.

"I- I can't abandon my order, not while those officers who survived the Conclave follow the Lord Seeker. As for your offer, I will consider it." Barris blinked, initially taken aback. He, at first thought, would never abandon his duty. Yet, he remembered that was exactly the Lord Seeker was forcing the Templar Order to do. Abernache, watching the exchange with a scowl and antsy to have control of whatever was going on, sidled up to the Herald and the Knight-Templar.

"Don't keep your betters waiting, Barris. There's more important work for those born to do it." Abernache sneered and Kassandra clenched her fists, reminding herself that her status within Inquisition was an unexpected barrier. This wasn't Ostwick where the offending party was her own family and where she could prove herself through the honor of combat. This was a whole new beast to tangle with and she relied on her acquired skill of politicking to avoid any physical confrontations. She shared an apologetic look with Barris before steeling her glare directly at Abernache when Barris stalked away. He bristled minutely underneath her restrained glare and Kassandra followed Barris through the gate.

They entered a courtyard where three giant banners bearing the sigils of Andraste, the people of Thedas, and the Templar Order stitched into the deep crimson fabric. Barris stopped in front of a mechanism that Trevelyan assumed raised the banners. She quizzically cocked her head ever so to the right and azure eyes flashed with a questioning glint. Barris faced the Inquisition party and Abernache with a straight face.

"The Lord Seeker has a… request before you meet him. These are the standards. An honored rite, centered on the people, the Maker, and the Order. The Lord Seeker asks that you preform the rite so he may see the order in which you honor them." Barris informed Kassandra and she opened her mouth to answer when Abernache's snarl permeated from the back.

"The Lord Seeker makes us shuffle flags around? Refuse! Let's meet with the man already." Abernache gripped from the back of the group and Trevelyan exhaled sharply. As much as she hated to do so, she agreed with Abernache's course of action. The Lord Seeker was an even bigger fool than she assumed if he thought he could delay her any more than he had.

"The Lord Seeker cannot delay any longer." Trevelyan declared gracefully and Barris nodded, responding to the Herald's answer rather than imprudent Abernache.

"Very well, the Lord Seeker waits." Barris guided Kassandra and her companions through the courtyard and deeper into the fortress. Kassandra, while inspecting the interior of the fortress for obvious dangers, was awed by the architectural majesty of Therinfal Redoubt. It was as imposing inside as it was from the outside. They passed through corridors devoid of guards on rotation duty and more banners bearing the Templar Order sigil. She heard Solas murmur something under his breath but neglected to ask him to repeat his sentiment as they arrived at a door lingering along the edges of a passageway. Barris held open the door and the Inquisition party, along with Abernache, filed into the room. On the opposite side, two armed Templar Knights guarded the only other exit to the room and there were some other, unrecognizable individuals scattered throughout. More likely than anything else, Kassandra supposed, was that those individuals were part of the Order in some capacity. But among the gathered people, the Lord Seeker was nowhere to be seen. She whirled on Barris with an eyebrow raised and silently questioning him. His jaw grit ever so slightly and he appeared incensed by being kept in the dark, "The Lord Seeker should be arriving soon."

Trevelyan signaled her party to follow her to an inhabited corner of the room and the Inquisition party formed a tight circle while watching for anyone to approach them. Kassandra adjusted her sword scabbard and with one hand pressed against her bodice, reassured that her spare dagger was still pressed up between her bare skin and the fabric of her shirt.

"How long do you think they'll make us wait for?" Varric pondered, grumbling, and Kassandra's face twisted up in contempt. Azure eyes flashed distractedly while she ran through strategies in her mind. She imagined Commander Cullen, Leliana, and Josephine and what they might say or how they would react to the situation.

"Hard to tell with the Lord Seeker and all his stalling. Cassandra, do you have any insight?" Kassandra turned to Seeker Pentaghast with the hope that she could provide some insight on how to deal with the Lord Seeker, weaknesses preferable. Seeker Pentaghast shook her head.

"No, the Lord Seeker is not the same man I remember. Something is amiss." She stated glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one was attempting to sneak up on the group. Kassandra made eye contact with a few of the others in the room and some of them shrunk back under her fierce glower.

"I feel it too. I suggest that we don't remain too lax, in case this is an ambush. Have your weapons at the ready and pay close attention to our surroundings." Kassandra instructed and her companions dispersed after some simple acknowledgments. Trevelyan drifted around the room but was drawn to the book shelf where Solas leaned up against the wall, surveying the armed Templars with wariness in his eyes. She sympathized with his unease, remembering his visceral fear at Haven over his identity as an apostate mage.

"They are suspiciously armed, Herald." Solas remarked softly, leaning towards Trevelyan. He heard her hum in assent as her hands skimmed along the spines of the books lined up in the shelf.

"Tell me about it. I always keep one of them in my sight at a given time." Kassandra whispered back while pretending to peruse the selection of texts in the shelf. Azure eyes darted through the shelf for any important clues as to what was going on behind the walls of Therinfal Redoubt and between her quest for answers and the others in the room. She vaguely tuned in and out of Abernache nagging at Barris until Seeker Pentaghast decidedly ended the conversation by reminding Abernache of his place. Kassandra smirked at the instant bout of groveling the Orlesian wailed out to placate Seeker Pentaghast's annoyance. Trevelyan turned to Solas and smiled at him, her eyes tacitly speaking volumes.

Solas nodded in affirmation and Kassandra headed to the other side of the room. She held the scrutinizing gaze of the Templars guarding the door with an innocent expression of her own until she reached where Barris stood. He continued glancing at the door as if he were expecting someone to walk in at any given moment. She stopped on the opposite of the table from him and planned on question whether the meeting was another ploy. However, he and Abernache were in the middle of a conversation when she arrived.

"-It's necessary, you know! You don't run a battlefield by committee." Abernache hissed at Barris and Trevelyan observed the two men with halfhearted interest, growing exhausted with the bickering on Abernache's part.

"Without faith, you've no Knights. You've… Knight Captain?" Barris trailed off when the guarded door swung open to reveal a man in full armor being flanked by the two guards. Kassandra stood up straighter and her companions rallied behind her. Abernache bounded off to the side, behind the Inquisition.

"So this is the herald of change. You are why everything must be moved ahead." The Knight Captain cocked his head at Kassandra and scoffed disgustedly, as if he was unsure why a woman like her had a force of nobles and soldiers behind her banner. Kassandra's lip twitch like it was ready to morph into a scowl of anger, but she regained her composure. "This is the grand alliance the Inquisition offers?"

"Knight Captain Denam, I am expected by the Lord Seeker. Where is he?" Kassandra demanded quite formally, showing great restraint. She noted the aggressive body language and the stillness of the Knight Captain with unease.

"The Lord Seeker had a plan, but the Herald ruined it by arriving with purpose. It sowed too much dissent." Knight Captain Denam growled and spastically jerked his head in the direction of Kassandra. She grit her teeth and shut her eyes when she heard the faint melody that she heard in the Temple of Sacred Ashes, that haunting, screeching melody of red. For the first time, she caught a decent glimpse of his eyes through the opening of his battle helmet.

They were red.

"Knight Captain, I must know what's going on!" Barris proclaimed and the abrupt commencement of battle cries rang through the walls. Kassandra's hand gripped at her sword hilt while her companions reached for their weapons. The Inquisition had walked into a trap.

"You were all supposed to be changed! Now we must purge the questioning Knights." Knight Captain Denam snarled and Knight Recruit Barris stumbled back. The armed Templars in the room slithered forward with their weapons drawn. "The Elder One is coming. No one will leave Therinfal who is not stained red!" The Knight Captain choked at the end when Trevelyan launched over the table and kicked Denam squarely in the chest. Denam stumbled backwards into one of his subordinates and Kassandra whirled with swift vengeance on the nearest Templar, cleaving them in half with a forceful slice across their stomach. Fire danced in her azure eyes as she faced Denam, mirroring the horrifying wrath festering and howling like a winter storm within her soul.

"Maker's Breath!" Barris bellowed as Kassandra's companions unleashed their weapons in response to the Templars slaughtering the unarmed, innocents in the room. The Inquisition party sprang into action and retained no mercy with the Templars. Cornering several Templars into a corner, Varric unleashed his newest toy of poisoned throwing knives with a substance so potent, that it induced convulsions and vomiting the moment it grazed the skin or impaled into the skin. He, along with Solas, controlled the battlefield from long range with a slew of crossbow bolts and a steady stream of lightning respectively. Seeker Pentaghast and Knight Recruit Barris fought a few Templars on the opposite side of the room and hacked and slashed through their foes with the ease of breathing. In the dead center of the room, Kassandra challenged Knight Captain Denam to an old fashioned sword fight and, despite her smaller and svelte frame, it was clear that the Herald had the upper hand. Simply put, Kassandra held nothing back in a fight when her life depended on it. She would block every offensive move by Denam with her shield and would slam the metal wall into his body with the intent to wear him down or push him against the wall. Denam would wildly swing his sword aimed for Trevelyan's head and she would either block or duck underneath. She was fighting to find a weak spot in his defense. Eventually, she recognized that he left his lower half unguarded out of sheer cockiness and that she would be happy to make that his downfall. The next time Denam swung his sword down at her, Kassandra threw her shield in between her and the sword and, as swift as lighting, impaled her sword through the flesh of Knight Captain Denam's thigh. He wailed in pain and crumpled over when Kassandra callously removed her blade from his body. Not wanting to risk him gaining any second wind, she raised her shield up and bashed down with extreme force. The blow against his head knocked him cleanly out and the Knight Captain fell unconscious. Kassandra huffed with satisfaction and headed for the door that he came from, only to find it locked.

"It looks like we need a key." Varric mused from across the room and strolled up to where Denam's unconscious body lay on the floor. After searching through his pockets, Varric laughed triumphantly and raised a gleaming key in the air. Varric tossed the key to Kassandra, who caught it and unlocked the door. Unlocking the door, the Inquisition party and Barris stormed into the passageway where bodies already lay in disturbing positions, indicative of an ambushed slaughter. The sounds of battles and screams continued to echo and grow more pressing as the warriors sped towards the source of the light filtering into the darkened hall. They stumbled upon a courtyard where Templars, glowing with red energy, brandished swords and archers lined the rooftops with arrows notched.

"Varric!" Kassandra commanded as she threw her shield up to deflect some arrows directed for her companions by the rooftop archers. The warrior Templars wailed a battle cry and rushed towards the Inquisition.

"On it!" Varric declared, aiming a mechanized chain that attached to one of the archers on the roof and yanked him to them. The second his boots touched the roof, he dropped a smoke screen and vanished. The archers were puzzled and panicked, taking their attention away from the warriors. Seconds later, Varric re-emerged from the shadows wielding the last of his poisoned knives and sinking them deep into the archers. Varric glanced down at the advancing troops with a smirk.

Standing side by side, Kassandra and Seeker Pentaghast and Knight Recruit Barris created a wall of shields and Solas lingered behind them while gathering enough mana to coordinate a precise lightning strike that would destroy the troops. His eyes crackled with electric current at the edges and his staff swirled with purple mist emanating from it. Kassandra was calling the marching commands in a clear cadence while she heard the screams off Varric picking off any reinforcements with a hail of crossbow bolts. Solas let out a fierce roar and several arcs of lightning rained down from the heavens and decimated the Templar forces.

"All clear!" Varric declared from his rooftop vantage point and the shield wall was dropped. Kassandra smirked at how the coordinated plan was working. She was glad that she was able to convince a messenger to discreetly lend her some of Commander Cullen's troop movements and training plans. He was a brilliant warrior and battle tactician; he probably wouldn't mind her utilizing some movements for battle. She had shared the movements with her companions over various nights where they stopped traveling and set up camp.

"Barris, where would the Lord Seeker be? I believe that I have a few things I would like to discuss with him." Trevelyan proclaimed sardonically but there was an edge to her tone. This meant all-out war and if the Lord Seeker wanted a fight, the Inquisition and the Herald of Andraste would be more than happy bringing it to him.

"He's most likely in the main hall. There is a shortcut to get us there once we round this building. We'll head into the first open door and go up from there." Barris instructed and Trevelyan nodded, following Barris' instructions to round the corner of the archway where Varric stood. Behind the archway was an open door that lead into a kitchen of some sort and Kassandra pulled her dagger from the hiding place she stowed it when she noticed a Templar patrolling. She signaled for her companions, now including Varric, to wait her command and deftly launched herself onto the ladder. She scaled the rungs noiselessly and made it onto the second level as the Templar's back was to her. She leapt forward once she observed the red aura associated with Knight Captain Denam and sunk the knife into their throat. The Templar writhed and gurgled, but collapsed shortly afterward. Kassandra removed the dagger from the corpse and gave the command to her companions, wondering if her older brother would be pleased that the dagger he gave her saw battle.

The Inquisition and Barris resumed their journey to hunting down the Lord Seeker- after some looting for the Inquisition's needs- and entered a courtyard where a giant Rift poured demons onto the rubble of the once proud Warden fortress. Kassandra cursed unabashedly despite the looks from her companions, both astonished and impressed by the display. She clutched her mark against her chest with a wince and drew her sword. She disturbed the Rift with her mark and invoked all the attention of the creatures- several shades and two Terror demons- onto her. She charged into the horde of monsters with her companions by her side. Kassandra challenged one of the Terrors to fight her and she circled around it, dodging every swing. The beast wailed when she impaled it three times in the abdomen before fading back into the Rift. Kassandra flung herself at the nearest shade fighting Solas and sliced the beast into ribbons with swift, precise sword movements. Once all the beasts on the battlefield were disposed of, Trevelyan focused her mark to the Rift and expelled energy to seal the portal for good.

Upon sealing the rift, the Inquisition sprinted through the remainder of the courtyard until the main hall came into view. However, awaiting them at the bottom was a platoon of Templars with the glowing red aura. By that point, Kassandra knew exactly what the Templars were dabbling in: red lyrium. It was the singing that made her want to carve her eyes out or fling herself off the side of the balcony. But she was stronger than it or temptation.

"Herald, find the Lord Seeker. We'll catch up with you." Barris declared before tackling into one of his former allies in the Templar Order. Kassandra was conflicted, but put her feelings aside when she realized that her companions had it handled. Thunder roared in the background as she began her ascent to the main hall. Kassandra sprinted up the final staircase alone to face the Lord Seeker, where she assumed he was awaiting her at the apex. Her companions were at the bottom of the staircase, fighting off some Templars that followed them from the courtyard. Reaching the top of the staircase, Kassandra sneered when she saw Lord Seeker Lucius standing there with his back to her. Sinking low, she crept closer to the Lord Seeker like a huntress stalking her prey, but was caught off-guard by the Lord Seeker turning on her. His hands encircled around her neck in a vice grip and he snickered wickedly as he began to drag her towards the double doors. Trevelyan sunk her nails into his grip with the hope that she could force him to let her go.

"At last…" Lord Seeker Lucius hissed like a demon as he pulled her through a hole of green energy, similar to that of the Breach, where the double doors once were. A scream of her name that sounded like it was from Seeker Pentaghast was the last thing she heard before her vision was overtaken by white.


	12. XII: Dream of Blood and Ice

XII: Dream of Blood and Ice

Kassandra grimaced as she pushed up from the floor and surveyed her surroundings intently. Her breath came heavily as her eyes scrambled to see through the thick haze. Ominous archways and multi-colored fire that reminded her of the Fade sent a chill trickling down her spine. She warily eyed the spires of red lyrium nearby and clenched her jaw when the singing started. Kassandra opted to move forward into the fog to move away from the lyrium. She moved quietly and slowly through the fog, passing by flaming bodies.

 _"_ _What is this place?"_ Kassandra wondered as she resisted the urge to shiver at the sudden drop in the temperature around her. Her breath wisped through her lips and merged with the murky fog rolling through the cavern. Wherever she was, she was only there because of the Lord Seeker. Going over the few moments before everything faded into white left her with only more questions than before. Stumbling a few more paces, the fog receded back and Kassandra halted in her tracks when she came face to face with Josephine and Commander Cullen. They were unmoving and Kassandra reached out to them, only to jerk her hand back when she heard a gasp. From behind a cluster of foliage, Leliana emerged and headed directly to Kassandra. By this point, Trevelyan was sure that the advisors were not her friends at all. The emptiness glimmering in their eyes shrieked at her to arm herself and prepare for a fight.

"Is this shape useful? Will it let me know you?" Leliana slithered toward Kassandra and her voice pricked at Trevelyan's nerves. Leliana moved to the side and paced around Kassandra, "Everything tells me about you… so will this… watch." Kassandra stifled her panic as she observed Leliana line a dagger up against Cullen's throat while he remained unmoving. Kassandra swallowed and composed herself instead of allowing panic to taint her.

"A demon. Am I supposed to scream in terror next?" She snarled as the searing anger festering in her breast escaped her control and laced her words with vitriol. The demon with Leliana's shape merely blinked, still behind Cullen's body, before slitting his throat. It never broke eye contact with Kassandra and the latter felt her resolve waver. Climbing the back of her throat was the sting of bile and her stomach churned. The anger simultaneously inflamed and dissipated; leaving Trevelyan in a state of limbo and inaction.

"Scream in terror next." The demon sneered and walked back into the bushes it emerged from when Josephine's body moved.

"Being you will be so much more interesting than being the Lord Seeker." She pulled out a dagger and chuckled, the demon's voice interweaving over her thick, Antivan accent. Kassandra's fingers twitched in the direction of her sword hilt but held off removing the weapon from the sheath for the moment. The demon of Josephine's shape moved past Trevelyan while toying with her dagger but disappeared when Trevelyan turned to observe her movements. Kassandra whipped her head around anxiously and her heart rate accelerated dangerously. Then, the voice erupted from behind her, "Do you know what the Inquisition will become? You'll see. When I'm done, the Elder One will kill you and ascend. Then, I will be you." Kassandra whirled around wildly and pointed her sword where the demon was mere moments before. She pondered the name 'the Elder One' with the hopes that it would give her some information about who she was up against, but to no avail. The name was foreign to her.

"Who or what is this Elder One?" Kassandra demanded into the void and her eyes frantically darted around for some clue as to where she could escape this nightmare. This was no dream and the danger was unquestionable.

"He is between things. Mortal, once, but no longer." A disembodied, bone-chilling laugh revealed the demon of Josephine's shape striding in front of Kassandra and moved away her pointed sword. "Glory is coming. And the Elder One wants you to serve him like everyone else; by dying in the right way."

"Keep talking then." Kassandra challenged the demon, which merely smirked at her and walked off to the left to vanish into the patch of veridium light.

"I am not your toy. I am Envy, and I will know you!" Kassandra's whole figure froze as she spun around on her heel to reveal the demon in Cullen's form. His voice was warped and harsh, unlike the warmth and fullness that Trevelyan was used to from Commander Cullen. In his hands was a dagger and Kassandra hesitated to lift her sword up. "Tell me 'Herald'; in your mind… tell me what you think." The demon in Cullen's form stabbed an apparition of her in the back and the apparition wailed in pain. Trevelyan blinked startled and stepped back with caution. "Tell me what you feel!" The demon in Cullen's form demanded as he moved to the war table and set several pieces on fire. The apparition appeared behind Kassandra now and clutched at its abdomen as it collapsed dead to the ground. And in her hands, was the bloody dagger. Kassandra dropped the dagger instinctively and the demon snarled, "Tell me what you see."

Kassandra leveled her sword and raised a battle cry, but the apparitions all but vanished and she was once again alone. Releasing a shaky breath, Kassandra spotted a nearby door and tentatively headed to it. She entered the room to see several guards pointing swords at a chained individual when she remembered that exact moment: at Haven, after the Conclave. She was unsure of what extent magic could invade someone, but she had a startling suspicion that she was trapped in her own mind. She moved past the display and kept her head down to avoid watching. The next door was in sight and she opened it to reveal another scene with the apparition of herself. Kassandra grimaced and leaned back as the mirage exploded into dust and embers. She moved close to the floor as the dragon-headed totems spewed veridium flames in arcs, forcing her to leap back as the heat of the flames licked her face. Eyeing a small alcove off to her right side, Kassandra easily rolled over to it and avoided the sting of the flames. She moved around the pillar and waited for the start of the pillar rotation to dart onto the floor. She nimbly dodged past several pillars until she reached a section of clear floor where she could catch her breath and survey her surroundings for an exit.

Throughout her attempts to escape, she still heard the demon's voice goading her about destroying all of Thedas. Kassandra felt her frustration rising until a second voice chimed in. The new voice was soothing, reassuring and that presence angered the demon. More importantly, Kassandra found herself drawn to a particular room where she hoped she would be safe from the fire. Upon entering, she noticed that the furniture of the room was warped upside down. She spun on her heel and searched for a sign of anyone that the second voice might have belonged to. With nothing in the room that helped her escape, Kassandra turned to exit the door she came but the voice from earlier called out.

"Wait." Kassandra stopped in her tracks and headed back into the room. "Envy is hurting you. Mirrors on mirrors on memories, a face it can feel but not fake… I want to help you- not Envy." She glanced around the room for the origin of the voice and found herself looking for a boy. At least, that's what he sounded like.

"Who are you? I… I've seen you before. Have I?" Kassandra cocked her head to the side when a shiver of familiarity raced down her spine and her brain scrambled for answers. Absentmindedly, she rubbed at her arms to jolt some warmth back into her body. The longer she was here, the more likely that the demon masquerading around as the Lord Seeker was slaughtering unsuspecting members of the Templar order and forcing his Knights to consume the poison known as red lyrium.

"I've been watching. I am Cole. We're inside you… or I am. You're always inside you." The voice responded patiently to her query. Kassandra winced as the way the being spoke in riddles provoked a sharp pang in her distracted mind. "It's easy to hear, harder to be a part of what you're hearing, but I'm hearing- helping… I hope." Kassandra circled around and nearly leapt backwards when she came face to face with a boy hanging from the ceiling. She studied his feature of icy blond hair sticking out from under a wide brimmed hat while the shadows masked his features. "Envy hurt you- is hurting you. I tried to help and I was here in the hearing. It's not actually like this…" Cole murmured softly and Kassandra restrained a frustrated huff with all the composure of her courtly training. She pressed her lips into a thin, clipped line and settled her breathing down.

"The least I can ask is that things make sense in my own head." Kassandra grumbled, mostly to herself, but Cole overheard her irritation. He smiled sadly, unbeknownst to Kassandra. It never made sense to anyone else either.

"It never works like that." Cole chuckled in a mixture of bemusement and the faintest hint of bitterness. Kassandra grimaced when a spine-chilling hiss echoed from elsewhere in the dungeon of her own mind. Time was running out and she needed to get back to the outside world. Azure eyes were drawn back to the door and she decided to take a few steps deeper into the room, a precautionary measure. "I was watching. I watch—Every Templar knew when you arrived; they were impressed but not like the Lord Seeker."

"The Lord Seeker is an Envy demon. It wants to be me." Kassandra declared, recalling the encounter with the demon masquerading under the illusionary skin of her advisers Leliana, Josephine, and Cullen. She shook her head with the determination that she would never allow Envy to be her so long as there was breath in her lungs.

"Yes, it twisted the commanders… forced their fury, their fight… they're red inside. Anyway, you're frozen. Envy is trying to take your face. I heard it and reached out and then in and then I was here." Cole rested in a seated position as the room shifted for the third time. Kassandra blinked back a wave of dizziness and cursed at the increased pain in her temples. She needed to get out of there and she could sense that Cole was honest with his answers, so she needed his help.

"Alright Cole, if you really want to help—how do I get out?" Kassandra inquired, her newly compassionate tone catching Cole's attention. He felt a glimmer of the true Kassandra Trevelyan within her voice. _Brave. Intelligent. Caring. A lioness, trapped behind the gilded bars of nobility, with a compassionate heart and iron will. She is delicate and dangerous all at once. She is a paradox that entices all._

"It's your head. I hoped you'd know how to stop it." Cole shrugged and Kassandra's shoulders slumped. That left her back where she started with absolutely no clue how to fight the demon trying to steal her body.

"Well, I don't." Kassandra sighed, rather dejectedly, which spurred Cole onto his feet. He marched up to where Kassandra stood at the foot of the bed and he gazed down at her. She returned his gaze when she felt his presence towering over her.

"All this is Envy. People, places, power… If you keep going, Envy stretches. It takes strength to make more. Being one person is hard. Being many—too many—is more and more and Envy breaks down. You break out." Cole muttered as he attempted to piece together the parts of a puzzle that refused to be solved. However, something he remarked stuck with Kassandra. She mulled over his words when she figured out what he was trying to say.

"So, if we keep moving in my head, we tire Envy into submission?" Kassandra gasped and wondered why she hadn't thought of that. This was her mind, not Envy's. She knew her mind better than Envy could ever dream to.

"Maybe… I hope it helps. It's more than sitting here, waiting to lose your face." Cole whispered and he suddenly dashes to the door, sparing only a minute glance at Kassandra still in the room. "This way!" Kassandra sprinted after him and the two re-entered the hall. Kassandra leapt back when she nearly ran into more dragon totems spewing fire, but Cole stood unperturbed at the foot of the flames

"Cole, get back from there!" Kassandra demanded and reached for his arm, only to flinch back when the heat of the flames licked too closely to her skin. She staggered back, but Cole calmly faced her.

"Think of water." Cole instructed and Kassandra, with no other option, closed her eyes and imagined water. Her thoughts drifted to the hidden waterfall she discovered as a child when exploring a forest on the outskirts of Ostwick. The thunder of the waterfall echoed in her chest alongside the power of rushing water and the softness of the mist on her face.

"THAT THING CAN'T HELP YOU! I WILL SEE MORE!" Envy bellowed through the dungeon and Kassandra's eyes snapped open to see the fire replaced by flowing arcs of water. She gaped at the water where there once was fire, but scrambled through the new opening after Cole. Envy continued to taunt and howl at her, but Kassandra tuned it out. No longer was she playing by Envy's rules. Kassandra and Cole vaulted through more rooms where foreboding illusions lingered of a Herald fallen from grace and inhabited by Envy. Eventually, the two stumbled into a room that led to a dead end. Kassandra paced around the room and eyed every side room for a sign of how to advance to the next room. Thinking she missed something, Kassandra strode over to a brazier holding the veridium fire and, with a nearby plank of wood, created a makeshift torch. Hoping to illuminate any clues she might have overlooked, Kassandra dropped the torch when a flurry of hushed whispers erupted through the chamber. She caught only a small phrase from the collection, _Light them all._

 _"_ _Light them all? What does that mean?"_ Kassandra pondered as she glanced at the torch she dropped and her azure eyes flickered to the nearest doorway of the side rooms. She tentatively edged closer to the open archway and peered into the room. Against the opposite wall, an empty brazier hung and she picked up on the faintest breeze nudging her to the brazier. _"The spirits must mean to light all the empty braziers with the fire!"_ Kassandra realized and she jogged back over to the sole source of the veridium flame. Kassandra collected another torch of the fire when she spotted several empty braziers in rooms she passed. She bowed her head to avoid seeing her advisors and Mother Giselle behind the bars of a dungeon and grit her jaw to limit the pain of hearing them cursing her name. Lighting the four braziers devoid of a flame resulted in a low groan echoing throughout the chamber and the wall, which once was a dead end, crumbling away to reveal a stretch of passage. Through the smoke, Kassandra stalked around with a one hand holding her torch and the other curling around the hilt of her sword. When the smoke cleared, azure eyes settled on a door and Kassandra nearly flung herself upon it. She jolted the nob numerous times, but the door appeared to be locked. She glanced at her surroundings for anything to open the door such as a key.

Directly to her left stood another side room, and that prompted Kassandra to explore the room. There might be a key in there. She passed by the harmless apparitions in the room and found herself faced with another door. She grinned and imagined the door before her suddenly gone. Upon her commanding thought, the door dissipated into flames and revealed a staircase, which Kassandra sprinted up. Hearing Envy's irate growl satisfied Kassandra and she knew that she was getting closer to escaping from under Envy's control.

Her breath, fast and hard, matched the gait of her stride as she tackled another flight of stairs until she reached a doorway at the top. Opening the door, Kassandra found herself blinded by a bright white light and when her vision cleared, she stood in another dungeon. She easily pushed past the illusions of Envy's warped fantasy for she refused to humor it. Kicking down the next door she saw, Kassandra entered an eerily familiar space. There were trees—densely populated around her—and two Shades flanking the sides of the door. Kassandra panicked and her legs moved before her brain could process the imminent danger. She nimbly dodged through the thicket of trees and the rolling mist until she reached another set of stairs. Stifling a groan, Kassandra scanned her surroundings for immediate threats before forcing herself to seek higher ground. In the background, Envy and Cole continued their verbal spar, but Kassandra had different priorities to focus on. She spied a lever against the cobbled stone wall and tugged it down to the sound of mechanized clicking. Peering her head into the alcoves, Kassandra noticed the newly open gate into another courtyard and sprinted through it without hesitation.

She recognized her surroundings as a sign she was getting closer to the Great Hall of Therinfal Redoubt and that is, where she assumed, she would break free of Envy's control of her mind. The presence of humanoid voices, full of panic and fear, jolted the slight numbness of her senses. Suddenly, the weariness of the dungeon vanished and where it once resided, a new sensation of power awakened. Kassandra felt every nerve in her body stirred and thrumming with an energy that made the mark on her hand pale in comparison. Guided by the new power within her, Kassandra strode up the next set of stairs and marched through small pockets of Fade magic. All she could do was to keep running. She ran through the courtyard where she and her companions encountered Red Templars. She ran swift-footed to avoid the narrow swish of arrows caressing a little too close to her skin. The sight of enemies swing their weapons at her didn't deter her from running. Kassandra mimicked the fleet footedness of a graceful Halla as she sped through infernos and hordes of enemies.

Soon the cries of battle faded into the distance as Kassandra reached the bottom of an all too familiar staircase. Her jaw clenched and she twirled her sword with vicious precision. Kassandra was ready to take on Envy. Azure eyes glinted as Kassandra raced to the top and slashed her sword in a wide arc, only to see no one awaited her at the top. Suddenly, she stumbled forward after a harsh force slammed into her from behind. On instinct, Kassandra spun around and clipped the shadow of her—guided by Envy—across the face with a slash of her elbow. Envy's imitation of her hissed wildly like a feral dog and staggered back for a split second.

"Unfair! Unfair! That thing kept you whole… kept you from giving me your shape!" It converged upon Kassandra and roughly shoved her into the door with its fingers grasping her by her throat. Using that leverage, the shadow lifted Kassandra from the ground and pinned her between the door and its choking grip.

"What do you gain from being me?" Kassandra wailed as she writhed under the suffocating grasp of Envy. She knew that she would outfight Envy in a display of close quarter combat, if she could make Envy lower its guard and get herself back onto the ground.

"What could you gain?" Envy seemed incensed by the question and shrieked, "We start again… more pain this time. The Elder One still comes!" Envy leveled a glowing hand next to Kassandra's face as a vague, menacing shadow sublimates in and out of cohesiveness behind Envy. Then, in the distance, Cole scoured the battlefield below him and called out to Kassandra.

"It's frightened of you." Cole passively proclaimed to Kassandra and Envy recoiled at the notion. The shadow whipped its face around to sneer at Cole but turned away from Kassandra. Trevelyan smirked, knowing that Cole bought her the opening she needed.

"Get out of here!" Envy snarled at Cole, but missed the determined glint in Kassandra's eyes and she clamped on of her hands on top of Envy's and slammed the full force of her knee into its chest. Envy winced in pain and loosened its grip, which allowed Kassandra to remove the pinning arm. She landed onto her feet, shoved Envy off kilter, and pulled her hand back before swinging a powerful punch across her body and landing squarely in Envy's face. The whole area became blanketed in white light, but this time, revealed the world Kassandra never meant to leave behind.

A strike of lighting flashed and Kassandra slammed Envy—in its true form—through the double doors of Therinfal Redoubt's Great Hall. Limber, pale, and a scarred face made up the horrifying image of desperate Envy. Kassandra glared at Envy and flicked her sword menacingly as she stalked closer, ready for the kill. Envy, not willing to surrender, contorted upright and defiantly screeched at Kassandra and her companions. It vanished into a puff of smoke and triggered a number of green portals. Ser Barris rushed after the smoke with an expression of panic.

"The Lord Seeker," Ser Barris stuttered at an evident loss for words when Kassandra glanced at him commiseratively from his side. Many of the Templars gathered in the Great Hall whispered amongst each other while others stood there and wondered if their eyes had deceived them. The Order, shocked to its core by the revelation, was losing grip on their faith.

"No, an imposter." Kassandra confirmed and Ser Barris shook his head in disbelief. He could not believe that such a creature managed to fool the Templar Order and seize control. More than anything, he felt like a fool for not trusting his gut and allowing this to happen, despite his initial suspicions.

"That monster ensured we weren't prepared," Ser Barris declared as he strolled closer to examine the portals summoned by the Envy demon. "I still don't know what we're up against." Kassandra followed him while keeping an eye out for Cole to re-appear. Her brain was calculating the possible outcomes necessary to destroy the portals and finish Envy off, once and for all.

"That fake Seeker was an Envy demon. Apparently, I caught its fancy. It attempted to steal my body and assume my identity as a ruse to destroy all of Thedas." Kassandra disclosed and the silence that subsequently trailed her revelation was deafening. Azure eyes caught sight of Seeker Pentaghast, who seemed rather distraught by the information. Kassandra knew that she worked with the Lord Seeker at a point in time and held some professional admiration for him.

"Envy? Then, the Lord Seeker…?" Cassandra Pentaghast refused to finish her sentence as the shock and grave silence hung over the Inquisition's party like a bloodied sword of the executioner's hand in the gallows.

"…is caged or dead." Ser Barris' expression hardened and he gazed off into the distance. Then, the pain became recognized. "Maker and my Captain knew. It's the red lyrium, isn't it? I knew that retched stuff was risky. They often give us new kinds of lyrium… Our commanders. Some use their stuff first to prove that it was harmless. The Knights would've been next. That demon turned our leaders so we couldn't question when this started!" By each revelation, Ser Barris grew more and more frustrated with how Envy managed to infiltrate and nearly destroy the Templar Order from within. Kassandra noted all the concerns Ser Barris inadvertently raised for the Inquisition hoping to make them allies. If anything, moving forward she would need some wisdom on how to deal with lyrium. Her mind flashed to Varric, but another face inserted itself: Cullen. As a former Templar, he must know how lyrium affected an individual from personal, first-hand experience and his insight would be crucial to helping the Templars recover.

"What's done is done. For now, I need yours and the help of the remaining Templar Order to stop Envy. The fault does not lie with those who trusted an Order that should represent honor and protection, but rather those involved in corrupting the Templars for whatever personal game. Are you willing to help the Inquisition?" Kassandra opened her hand to Ser Barris and he could see the fire in her eyes. Before him, stood the Herald of Andraste with a sword in hand and a fire in her heart. Something in her plea stirred him and Ser Barris faced those of the Order gathered in the Great Hall.

"Templar, what is Envy?" Ser Barris inquired out to his brothers and sisters of the Order and his question lulled the hall into utter silence. The Templars, on the verge of a crisis of faith, were taken aback by his query but when putting their mind to understanding, began to stir the fury and hatred of what Envy symbolized.

"A coward, brother!" One of the templars declared with venom laced in his voice and a defiant sneer. His response enticed some of his brothers and sisters around him to murmur in agreement.

"It studies, makes less mistakes, but most of all, it hides." Another Templar, this time a woman, remarked and her response alluded to possible study of such demons. Kassandra noted her answer with interest and considered having someone back at Haven research more into demons like Envy.

"We need our veterans. Our commanders are turned, but the lieutenants may still be fighting. We'll hold the hall. You find the lieutenants and the uncorrupted lyrium stores. Bring them here and I'll give you Envy… Show those things no mercy." Barris shot Kassandra one last lingering look and she received his unspoken promise. She nodded her head as he gathered the Templars to prepare them and she returned to her companions.

"I know that look, Trevelyan. What are you planning?" Varric served a pointed look at Kassandra and gestured for her to elaborate on the idea she configured in her brain. Kassandra allowed an amused chuckle as she huddled her companions up.

"Right now, our main concern is getting the Templar lieutenants back to the Great Hall so we can kick Envy back to whatever hellhole it dragged itself out of."


	13. XIII: Lyrium-Red, Envy Green

XIII: Lyrium-Red, Envy Green

Kassandra adjusted her gauntlets and admired her blade against the lighting of the swirling vortexes Envy conjured. Within the few minutes she and her companions spent strategizing, two waves of demons and creatures emerged from them and they ambled through ranks of Templar with the intent of killing the Herald.

"Are we ready?" Kassandra inquired as her companions came back from collecting various amounts of loot and restocking the group supply of healing potions and other salves. She, as a precaution, pinned her braid in a constricted bun after one of the demons tried to drag her by her hair.

"To wade ass-deep into demons to rescue some senior Templar officers and obtain some red lyrium? We're as ready as we can be." Varric muttered in a mixture of sarcasm, amusement, and flat seriousness that was characteristically Varric in nature.

"Your enthusiasm is contagious, Varric." Kassandra asserted sardonically and she sheathed her sword back into its scabbard. Varric simply extended a bemused grin and the Inquisition forces headed off to the west side of the Great Hall, passing through the doorway to the officer's quarters. The abandoned quarters creaked eerily with silence and Kassandra, at the front of the party, confidently guided her companions through the dimness until they reached an open archway leading to the outside perimeter. A cautious scan of the terrain ahead showed several red Templars lying in wait for a battle. "Ready your weapons because things are about to get bloody," Kassandra muttered and her companions readied their various weapons as they charged into the outdoor courtyard. Dodging past several arrows whizzing dangerously close to her face, Kassandra approached the first warrior she spotted and wasted no time cutting them down to size; they never had a chance to retaliate as Trevelyan tore through their armor and drew blood like a vicious tempest from a dragon's wings.

Back toward the front of the battle, Solas conjured up a mobile wall of fire slowly rolling across the arena and the terrified screams of red Templars—badly burning—could be heard from across the courtyard. Cassandra Pentaghast held her own against two red Templars she caught chasing after the Herald, her blade slicing her foes to ribbons and eventual dust. The Inquisition forces, led by Kassandra, cleared the courtyard of every single red Templar within a matter of moments. While the others scavenged the area for any important clues, Kassandra paced through the open-air halls and investigated the doorways along the way. She warily approached another door and nudged it open, revealing a cluttered room with papers strewn across the floor and unfamiliar totems stacked like a makeshift altar. Azure eyes examined the state of the room and her mind wandered while wondering what this place was. Her vision snagged onto bits of red upon red from the blood-smeared upon the walls. Kassandra paced through the room and absorbed every detail, persistent to commit it to memory. Resting in the middle of the room was a table with a bust—a paper note attached to the face. Kassandra edged closer to the bust and reached for the note when Cole re-emerged from thin air behind the statue.

"The Elder One wants her dead. Empress Celine. He hates her, wants her dead… but hides why. He hid other things too." Cole remarked cryptically and in a low whisper tone. Kassandra sent one last unnerved glance at the marble bust before gliding around the table. She grabbed a stray key and some letters from nearby tables, figuring that they might be necessary items. The key, Kassandra suspected, would open the door to the lyrium stash she was supposed to find. They bolted back into the courtyard they cleared moments before.

Now, Kassandra knew they needed to find the senior templars in danger and the lyrium.

Dashing through the shadows like the rogue she could have been, Kassandra and the others darted across the courtyard in case more red templars broke through from the fighting in the Great Hall. She spotted several alcoves with Varric's keen eyes that lead to hidden spaces where the senior Templars fended off Red Templars for their lives. Kassandra would lead the charge into rescue with a battle cry echoing off her lips and her sword raised high to graze against the grey sky above. Her companions would follow with their chosen weapons in tow to fend off the demonized Templars, infected by the corrupting beauty of red lyrium tainting their blood like a fast-acting poison.

The first senior Templar hardly realized she was being saved by Kassandra and her crew, mistaking their figures at a distance to be reinforcements for the red templars. When she realized the newcomers were dispatching the monstrosities, she hesitantly lowered her sword and praised the Herald who came to her rescue through a hearty Orlesian accent. Kassandra nodded in acknowledgment and advised that she head back to the hall before turning on her heel and sprinting to the other side of the stairs. She expected to see another Templar there.

After the second senior Templar saved from the clutches of their corrupted counterparts and former, Kassandra heard Seeker Pentaghast call out to her with a warning that they should return to the Great Hall. Lingering in the stillness for a beat, Kassandra picked up on the faint sounds of fighting from the Great Hall. Following after the templar she saved not moments before, Kassandra and her companions stormed back into the Great Hall—to see that a wave of monstrosities overcome by red lyrium emerged from the portals.

"For Andraste!" Kassandra declared fiercely as she raised her sword high and launched herself straight for two warped behemoths with red lyrium jutting from their bodies, appearing more beast than human-like they once were. Her battle cry garnered the attention of several nearby Templars, who seemed inspired to renew their efforts against the creatures rising up against them. Cries from the Templars and those who they may once have called "friends" echoed as the two forces clashed together. Kassandra hacked and slashed through the demons she faced with precise slashes to their bodies. She grit her teeth through the wails of defeat and the inhuman hissing so close to her that sent chills racing up her spine. Blood stained the floors of the Great Hall as the current wave of demons, summoned by Envy, dwindled in numbers and fell to the blades of the Templars.

"There is still one more!" Barris bellowed over the clashing of swords and the roars of the red lyrium monsters. Kassandra gruffly hummed while she buried her sword into the gut of one of the warped templars, eviscerating him in one swift yank of her sword. She hardly worried about the blood staining her sword before whirling around and slicing her blade across the face of another red templar. It recoiled back with a growl and raised its sword, only to meet its end from the swinging blade slicing across the throat. Kassandra sucked in a rattling breath when she spun on her heel with her sword up and readied herself to fight. She assumed Barris meant one more lieutenant as her eyes scanned the perimeter to see all the demons defeated for the moment. New ones would come, wave after wave, and the templars needed all their men and women to fight. Their fighting chance lied with flooding the hall with whatever reinforcements they could.

"Hold the Great Hall for a little longer! We shall return." Kassandra declared over her shoulder at Barris while she and her companions darted back to the courtyard. He nodded right before she closed the door and faced her companions with a grim expression; time was of the essence to defeating Envy and Kassandra would rather not delay. They rushed back into the open courtyard and searched for where the other Templar lieutenant might be. She made sure to move through the hallways in the shadows to avoid attracting attention from any corrupted templars lingering in the vicinity. She nearly missed it, but Kassandra passed by a door that wasn't fully closed and that set off a flurry of thoughts that advised her to search the room. Pressing her finger to her lips in a quiet gesture, Kassandra nodded to her companions before she shouldered the door open.

Armed with their weapons, the Inquisition delegation scoured the dark for any threats when Solas nudged Kassandra toward the small fraction of stairs peeking out from the recesses of the darkness. Varric, the stealthiest of the group, led the way with Kassandra's consent and the rest followed behind the dwarf. They stumbled into an open doorway where they spotted several corrupted templars and lyrium monsters ambling around and heard the familiar clang of a metal sword. Kassandra darted into the light first and struck down a corrupted templar with a swift thrust of her sword through the chest. The remainder of the beasts whirled onto her and away from the templar she needed to save, falling right into her planned ambush. Solas and Varric picked off templars from a safe distance before they started a long-distance war with the sole archer. Seeker Pentaghast waded into the fray of bodies with Kassandra and the two began leaving a sea of carcasses and bloodstain around them.

Kassandra overheard the templar speaking about the corrupted templar sprinting toward him with its sword raised, how they were a former acquaintance of theirs and killing them was not possible. Without batting an eye, Kassandra chased after the creature and stabbed it through the back. She made eye contact with the stunned Templar while her companions finished off the final enemies. When the rescued senior Templar went to ask what was going on, Kassandra stopped him and informed him to find Barris for an explanation. She watched as he sprinted off toward the Great Hall.

"Now all that's left is the lyrium Ser Barris informed us about." Solas murmured, somehow sounding ever relaxed despite the dire situation unraveling in Therinfal Redoubt.

"The sooner we find that, the better." Kassandra declared and she heard Varric gruffly agree with a comment she couldn't quite make out under his breath. Sheathing her sword, Kassandra allowed a cursory sweep of the area with her eyes to determine the coast was clear. After the haunting trip into her twisted psyche with Envy and Cole, Kassandra felt her paranoia shoot through the roof and with that came hyper-vigilance. After a moment, she deemed it safe and located the nearest exit—which was neatly stashed in the corner. "This way!" She instructed and with a wave of her hand, her companions trailed her through a doorway of a hidden passageway. The four marched through the halls until the exit spat them into the upper rafters of the Great Hall. She could hear fighting and the primal noises of the corrupted templars down below. Giving a sideways glance to Varric, Kassandra watched as he staged his crossbow and fired several bolts into the fray below. She overheard the startled cries of the templars when their opponents suddenly crumpled lifelessly. Varric stood onto his feet with Bianca in his arms and a grin on his face directed toward Kassandra. The four slipped out, unseen by anyone, and ended up back into the courtyard after some twists and turns through the maze that was Therinfal Redoubt.

"I feel like we've looked everywhere," Kassandra remarked, feeling the urgency weighing on her shoulders at the prospect of the never-ending waves of demons pouring out and the elusive lyrium needed to push back the tide.

"Herald, I believe I see a door that we have yet to explore." Seeker Pentaghast pointed out and that caught Kassandra's attention, evidenced by the way her head snapped toward her companion with a shared namesake and she leaned over to her.

"Where?" Kassandra inquired and Cassandra pointed out a door, that was indeed shut, across the courtyard. That had to be the location of the untainted lyrium Ser Barris spoke of and her hopes increased that the corrupted templars had yet to destroy it. Kassandra led her companions through the courtyard and to the door, which she kicked in when it wouldn't budge. They were greeted by the sight of red lyrium growing along the walls and somehow pulsing with energy that Kassandra knew she should avoid. There was something about red lyrium that screamed with evilness. "This must be the red lyrium the Lord Seeker gave the Templars." Kassandra asserted and, from the corner of her vision, noticed Varric shift uncomfortably and mumble something under his breath. Remembering their conversation about it at Haven, Kassandra figured that they should quickly find the lyrium before the negative effects of red lyrium started. The four darted up the stairs on the left-hand side of the room and immediately zeroed in on a small container that stood out in the minimalist setting. Daring to edge closer and open it, Kassandra recognized the little vials inside the container and grinned when she realized that they found the untampered lyrium before it was destroyed by the enemy forces.

"We have the lyrium. Let us return to the Great Hall." Cassandra suggested, swearing she could pick up on the faint sound of fighting from where the portals were. Kassandra nodded in wordless agreement and the foursome sprinted back with Kassandra carrying the lyrium. On their way, they nearly ran into two red templars but Cassandra quickly handled them with additional support from Varric since Kassandra's hands were full. Returning to the Great Hall, Ser Barris immediately approached the Herald and her companions when he noticed what she carried in her arms. His eyes, alit with hope, met Kassandra's and turned to face his brothers and sisters of the Order.

"Right! Keep them off us! We'll breach this beast!" Barris hollered to his fellow templars, seemingly stepping into the vacant leadership role, and he was met with the impassioned cries of the other templars, raising their weapons into the air. The air in the Great Hall was electrified as Templars lined up to down their lyrium slamming their shields and swords together while waiting. Kassandra watched the sight with awe from the sidelines, watching a process she once considered undergoing herself in silence. Then, some of the Templars gathered with Ser Barris on the dais to slam their swords into the ground—channeling their unique energies.

"Red Templars coming through the barrier!" One of the Templars shouted and the two portals on each side of the double staircase to the balcony overlooking the Great Hall spewed out a dozen corrupted Templars to fight. Kassandra and her companions raised their weapons in a formed half-circle—facing the portals. The Templars were the first line standing between the demons and the Great Hall falling to Envy. A few demons slipped through the line of Templars and those were the ones the Inquisition handled. Soon enough, Kassandra wormed her way into the line formation and readily launched herself at demons slithering or sprinting from the portals. They would meet their untimely end at the tip of her blade. She tore through demons with a fervor unseen by any among the templars. But little did they know, this was personal for Kassandra.

With the final creatures handled, the portals dissipated into thin air and opened a new avenue to where Envy ran off toward. Kassandra ascended the stairs with her companions following behind her. Ahead, she could see the darkening skies and smell the storm brewing in the air. Envy's twisted laughter echoed in her ear, causing Kassandra to shudder. She could go a thousand years of never hearing that laugh and it still would be too soon to hear it again. The foursome entered out into the open of Therinfal Redoubt and drew their respective weapons, preparing for Envy to rear its ugly head. Kassandra and her companions stormed out onto the open field and took in the dark storm clouds rolling in and the wind whipping them across the face. Narrowing her eyes, Kassandra scanned the area for any sight of Envy and considered luring it out by taunting it, but that proved unnecessary as Envy's voice piped up again.

"I touched so much of you, but you are selfish with your glory. Now, I'm no one." Envy growled through the falling of the rain and the howling wind before crawling out of the ground before Kassandra. She held her sword between her and Envy, reminding the demon that she would best it once more.

"Dark and desperate, death to make yourself alive. I used to be like you. I'm not anymore; you shouldn't either." Cole whispered loud enough for Kassandra to hear and that seemed to anger Envy more than anything she could have done. Envy howled in anger and the foursome with Cole drew their weapons out. Kassandra wasn't in the mood for any more talking with the demon; she was out for blood. Envy rose to its full height and released another shriek.

Kassandra hardly waited before she lunged at Envy with the ferocity of an alpha wolf protecting its pack She growled and buried her sword deep into the slender, bony legs of Envy. The thunder crackled in the sky above in tandem with Envy's piercing shriek of pain when Kassandra twisted the blade into the flesh before yanking her blade back. Envy howled and lurched back, a green barrier forming around it which steadily grew by the second. The howl caused Kassandra and her companions to stagger back and clutch at their ears. Envy's bitter cry rattled around in their heads and made them miss how the barrier grew, the dark magic physically affecting the warriors. Kassandra sluggishly glanced up and raised her shield to deflect Envy's wild swing within mere seconds of impact. She grit her teeth together and pulled herself out from the barrier enough to halt the effects on her. She shook her head to dispel the lingering sluggishness and slammed her sword against her shield.

"I'm sending you back to the darkest pits of the Fade where you belong, Envy." Kassandra declared and her proclamation whipped Envy into a blinding rage. Its roar boomed across the shrine at the same time as a clap of thunder, amplifying the sheer wrath radiating off it. Envy swung at her twice more, but each blow was dodged swiftly and earned retaliation in the form of blades slicing the skin and magic barraging it. Kassandra and her companions refused to relent their attacks. There were three blades actively destroying Envy's body while the magic drained Envy's powers, a devastating combination. Envy attempted another barrier but none of the warriors allowed themselves to be caught in it. Kassandra barked out a command and that signaled for her and Seeker Pentaghast to fall back while Varric and Solas continued their long-distance assault. Crossbow bolts and orbs of magic flew at Envy with unavoidable speed, only serving to weaken the demon further.

Envy dispelled the barrier and teleported away from her, reappearing on the dais of the shrine—nearly halfway across the battlefield. Kassandra cursed at Envy's cowardice and sprinted directly for it with her companions tailing along. As Envy edged back to lick the numerous wounds received from the Herald and her companions, the warriors advanced toward Envy. Marching to the dais, Varric caught sight of red and went on high alert.

"Red Templars coming from all sides!" Varric called out when he spotted the familiar red visors through the eroding pillars and leveled his crossbow to take several out in rapid succession. The rain kept falling on the battlefield as Cassandra, Solas, and Varric staved off the red templars summoned by Envy and left Kassandra and Cole protected to face down Envy. Envy postured up to its full height and roared, furious that the Herald of Andraste and its former target was winning the battle. In an act of desperation, Envy changed shape into a large shadow apparition of Kassandra and raised its sword into the air like she did earlier in the Great Hall; a mockery of what meant to inspire the frightened Templars. Kassandra growled at Envy's weak attempt to scare her and darted into close quarters, preparing herself to combat Envy. She danced around Envy with the efficiency of lighting and littered its body with gashes of variety. Some were shallow while others were gaping and posed a great threat to Envy. Envy feebly attempted to mimic her, but Kassandra held the advantage in that situation; she knew herself better than a fake like Envy ever could. She continued to dodge around Envy and traded off keeping its attention with Cole while the other used the distraction to stab Envy. Envy nearly bashed her with its shield, but Kassandra dodged by rolling away through Envy's open legs.

As she rolled onto her feet, Envy brashly swung its sword at Kassandra, which she blocked with her shield. However, the force of the clash between the brunt of the blade and her shield sent Kassandra flying across the field. She crashed into a pillar with a rough crunch, knocking all the breath out of her lungs. She laid against the ground for a moment as the rain poured down on her, but she staggered up to her feet. The second wave of Red Templars was handled while Envy teleported around to evade her companions or Cole catching it. Kassandra, using her sword, held up her weight while she tested the tenderness of her ankle which absorbed most of the fall. She pulled out one of her remaining potions to numb the pain and grimaced at the pungent aftertaste but drank the whole thing. She put some weight on her right leg and managed to limp her way into the fray. The pain was significantly less but Kassandra knew she would not be running until Solas or another qualified mage could examine her. She glanced around and spotted Envy as it reappeared back on the dais from another teleport that left her companions on the other side of the field and dealing with Red Templars. Kassandra started limping toward Envy and she narrowed her eyes at him, preparing to end this. She stumbled onto the dais and Envy's attention fixated onto the former object of his curiosity. Using her strength remaining, Kassandra swung and horizontally sliced her sword at Envy, embedding the blade into the leg and effectively bringing Envy down onto its knees. She could see how the creature was worn down. Her companions raced over to the Herald to catch the glimpse of her slicing her sword and taking Envy's head clean off its skeletal body. Kassandra huffed and leaned on her sword while she attempted to regain her breath as her companions reached her.

"Everyone good?" Kassandra questioned those who fought beside her, new and old, and she relaxed somewhat when she noted all nods. Breathing heavily, Kassandra limped over toward what remained of the Templar Order with assistance from Seeker Pentaghast. Pain raced up and down her leg and Solas promised he would tend to her injuries as soon as possible. First, they needed to deal with the aftermath of Envy's revealed intrusion and the shocking bombshell that rocked the faith of the believers that remained. The Templars were faced with the unthinkable notion that they were infiltrated and corrupted from the inside by a demon wearing the face of their leader. All the actions they enacted under command from the imposter Lord Seeker and his swayed underlings caused pain and suffering, leaving the blood left in their wake on their hands.

"The demon is dead. Andraste be praised; she shielded you from its touch." Barris remarked while noting Kassandra's minor injuries, except for her avoiding placing pressure on her right side after that nasty throw into one of the shrine's pillars. His comment lied with the fact that Kassandra never wavered to Envy's temptation for glory or power like the Lord Seeker had. Barris turned back to his cohorts and marched back to them with a conflicted expression on his face. "We've numbers across Thedas. But we let this happen Our officers either failed to see it or were complicit. The Templars are ready to hear what the Inquisition needs of us." Ser Barris declared, which made Kassandra turn to face the Breach swirling in the sky with a sickly green color. Her eyes fixated on the source of Thedas' issues and she knew the Templars were suited for such a monstrous task.

"You need to hear this. To feel the truth in your hearts. I am the will of Our Lady Manifest. I am the Herald of Andraste. She sent me to remind you of your sacred duty: a shield against dark magic. Knights who will end the Breach." Kassandra unabashedly stated, her impassioned speech booming across the ramparts from the sheer power of her voice. The rainfall had stopped not long before and Therinfal Redoubt was eerily silent after the several battles of demons crawling across the once sanctified space. All the eyes of the Templars laid on her as she turned her head to the sky and reveled in her firm admission that she, Kassandra Divina Trevelyan, walked under the guidance of the holy Andraste. She was the will of the Maker's blood in the flesh but she needed them to align with her to stop the evil plaguing their land.

"We will not deny our Lady's will, not anymore. But the Order is leaderless, gutted by betrayal. We must rebuild it." Barris declared formally and that presented Kassandra with the notion that the Templars were willing to negotiate with the Inquisition. All she needed to do was seal a favorable deal for all parties involved. It was at that moment that Lord Abernache stormed through the Templar ruins with a twisted scowl and grumbling the whole way. Kassandra gave Seeker Pentaghast a silent look, which the other woman understood the intent. Gesturing for Varric to take her place in stabilizing Kassandra, Cassandra stepped off to the side and intercepted Lord Abernache. When he attempted to move past her or say something, she stopped him dead with a glare sharp enough to cut.

"Ser Barris…" Kassandra hardly paid attention to Abernache cowering away from Seeker Pentaghast's imposing figure and indomitable scowl; he was a little man who could hardly comprehend the delicacy needed for the power of such an alliance. Nobles liked to run their mouths and pretend like they wielded the cards, even though forces outside their control played with real stakes. They acted cumbersomely and like fools, especially when they had too much wine. That was something Kassandra knew from experience all too well that a majority of nobility were too stupid or drunk on their 'power' to realize the greater power at work. She waited for any objections from the Templars before continuing, "Your order is a symbol that holds the people's respect. That cannot die today. We offer you an alliance: supplies, weapons, grounds to shelter you. All we ask is you help us close the Breach." Kassandra proclaimed to the Templars hanging onto her every word. The rainfall left spots of water on her face and her armor showed some significant damage but standing before them—she radiated this undeniable power that made all wonder was she blessed by the Maker's Bride beyond that of mortal imagination. In her stormy blue eyes, lightning crackled, and strength rolled off her with the same palpable force that the waves of the ocean did. Kassandra gazed at the Templars as she waited for their reply; an alliance betwixt the two groups was the best option she could offer to them. By no means was the Templar Order perfect, but the ideals of protecting Thedas aligned closely to what the Inquisition needed. Kassandra saw this as an opportunity to rebuild the Templar Order to follow through with its initial directive rather than be manipulated into allowing heinous actions by individuals using hate. Under the Inquisition, the Templars could be returned to a more faithful path that the Maker would smile down upon.

"Do we take the Inquisition's terms, brothers and sisters?" Barris questioned the Templars who survived the failed siege by Envy and the red Templars to their roars of agreement and cheers. Some raised their swords to the sky like Kassandra did earlier in the Great Hall and Andraste's name echoed off their lips as they praised her proclaimed Herald. Ser Barris turned back to Kassandra, who finished the small potion that Solas procured for her to heal her leg. "The templars will come. I hope your stronghold is ready."

"We'll be ready for anyone willing to throw their hat in with us," Kassandra assured and the warrior felt the twitch of her lips upward, her success reaching her. After such a draining ordeal, she managed to unite the Templars with the Inquisition, their roots from eras long forgotten. Their history might have separated them once before but they were reunited once more… to seal away the Breach for good.


	14. XIV: A Night of Peace

XIV: A Night of Peace

In the evenings, The Singing Maiden tavern was surprisingly quiet for where it rested within the microcosm of Haven. Inside the tavern, with its paint-chipped walls and a lively fire roaring at all hours of the day for staving off the wintry cold of outside, Kassandra sat alone at the bar with a drink in hand. She stared down into the liquid in her glass as if she were contemplating it. The exhaustion was written clear across her face as she brought the glass against her lips and tilted it back, the sweetish liquid trickling down her throat with a bizarre fire associated with it blazing the whole way. A small droplet lingered against the corner of her lip and she brushed her tongue across her lower lip to capture the rogue liquor. That morning, Kassandra and her companions returned from Therinfal Redoubt victorious but had sent word ahead to prepare for the templars arriving at Haven to ally with the Inquisition. However, her advisers and inner circle seemed less pleased than Trevelyan would have hoped.

* * *

 _Kassandra entered the war room to see Cullen, Leliana, Josephine, and Cassandra already there. They were waiting for her to arrive so they could discuss what happened at Therinfal Redoubt. Kassandra sent back reports to each, except for Cassandra, to inform them as to the outcome and what they learned at Therinfal. They wouldn't hash out the details nor would Kassandra add to the horror of what occurred by sharing some details she omitted like the warped fantasy that played out in her mind with Envy._

 _Josephine daintily cleared her throat when she spotted Kassandra first and the room snapped to attention to address the Herald. Kassandra glanced over at her namesake companion to see the former Seeker of Truth teeming with anger._

 _"Officers betraying their soldiers, Templars without leaders, a demon imitating the Lord Seeker… We should have taken them to task. The crimes they've committed-" Cassandra seethed while she gripped the edge of the table. Even though time passed since the victory at Therinfal Redoubt, Seeker Pentaghast still found herself aghast by what she saw on a deeply personal level._

 _"-Were committed by their officers. The soldiers of the Order will serve." Cullen interjected, seeing little use in ranting over what already happened. He glanced over at Kassandra, understanding that she and her companions managed to put down most of the corrupted officers. The ones who could be salvaged were dragged into Haven in chains and thrown into the dungeon for questioning by the Commander, the spymaster, the Seeker, or the Herald of Andraste. Out of the combinations, the officers feared Cullen and Kassandra together the most._

 _"These crimes have put them at our mercy, yet the terms of this alliance do not benefit the Inquisition as they should." Leliana gripped while glaring somewhat at the Herald from her place across the table, arms crossed over her chest and anger laced in her voice. Kassandra sensed some of her hostility was directed toward her slight bias for aligning with the rebel mages in the original decision. Kassandra bristled under Leliana's watchful gaze. "You should have consulted us, Herald."_

 _"There was no time. The Order was in chaos; I had to shape it going forward or risk losing it entirely." Kassandra snappily retorted and she narrowed her eyes. They sent her to Therinfal with the intent to ally with the Templars and she did just that. What else did they fucking expect of her? She acted decisively to secure the alliance and reached the best possible outcome given the circumstances she faced with Envy, the impostor Lord Seeker, and the exposing of the corrupted Templar Order. She tensed her body and turned her glare toward Leliana, ready to challenge the spymaster further. Kassandra was never one to be scolded unnecessarily without a fight._

 _"An alliance with the templars was our desired outcome. May we discuss their imminent arrival?" Josephine suggested, deftly changing the conversation before a bloody argument broke out between Leliana and Kassandra._

 _"A few dozen veterans are coming ahead of the rest to help seal the Breach." Leliana informed coldly but her anger slowly receded back behind her characteristic composure. Those gathered around the table nodded, pleased by the haste in which the templars honored their end of the alliance._

 _"How soon until these veterans arrive?" Kassandra inquired, wondering if Josephine or Leliana or Cullen heard any information from Ser Barris at to when the templars would arrive at Haven. She was answered by a puff of smoke and Cole knelt on the table._

 _"They're almost here. Templars don't like to be late." Cole murmured, his soft-spoken demeanor still carrying over from how Kassandra remembered it. She had no clue Cole followed them back to Haven from Therinfal, but her thoughts were interrupted by a shout._

 _"Maker!" Cullen barked in surprise at Cole's sudden appearance while he and Cassandra removed their swords from their sheaths. Leliana slowly reached for her dagger while Josephine inched back from Cole, her face paling slightly. Kassandra quickly realized that none of them knew Cole and assumed he was a hostile demon._

 _"Wait!" Kassandra exclaimed and Cullen swiftly rounded the table, misinterpreting her shock for fear. His instincts to protect came to the forefront and Cullen carefully observed the newcomer with wary eyes and a readiness to strike._

 _"I came with you to help. I would have told you before, but you were busy." Cole mumbled nervously at the sight of two swords pointed at him by stern warriors. His abilities reached out and sampled a small piece of their spirits, taking in all the noise inside their heads. Cullen wedged himself between Cole and Kassandra on pure instinct since she was unarmed. Kassandra attempted to reach out toward Cole, but Cullen's broad shoulders stood between her and the kindly spirit boy who helped her escape her mental imprisonment back in Therinfal. Kass ducked under Cullen's protection and pushed the sword away from Cole, making space for her to meet him._

 _"That's fine, Cole. You just startled us, appearing out of thin air." Kassandra comforted the restless flinch she noticed Cole gave at the sight of swords being pointed at him. Any reasonable person would be, but that was the first time Kassandra noticed fear in the spirit. There was a story behind that, and Kassandra made a note that she would figure it out later._

 _"It wasn't air; I was here. You didn't see me. Most people don't until I let them." Cole declared as if what he said was the most normal statement in the world. Although it didn't make much sense to Kassandra, it made sense to Cole and that mattered more. However, Kassandra seemed the only person in the room put at ease._

 _"Call the guards! This creature is not what you-" Seeker Pentaghast declared but she stopped herself when no one rushed to gather the guards and Leliana stepped forward. She studied Cole with those intelligent, slightly unnerving eyes of hers and tilted her head to the side._

 _"A moment please, Cassandra… I would like to hear why it came." Leliana interjected and waited for Cole to explain his desired purpose. She was not on the edge now but could be at a moment's notice. If she suspected ill intentions, she would have the demon slaughtered before the others blinked._

 _"You help people." Cole remarked to Kassandra and all eyes remained on the Herald, who seemed to make a connection with this spirit—benevolent or malicious still unknown. Kassandra caught his eyes from under the wide brim of his hat and fringe of blonde hair, but Cole glanced down. His voice didn't waver when he continued, "You made them safe when they would've died. I want to do that! I can help!"_

 _"Cole saved my life in Therinfal. I couldn't have defeated Envy without him" Kassandra declared and that seemed to relax Josephine and Cullen slight. Leliana remained seemingly calm while Seeker Pentaghast was distrusting of Cole._

 _"But what does he want now?" Cassandra questioned and half demanded Cole or Kassandra for an answer. Cole quietly fidgeted underneath the scrutinizing gazes while Kassandra stepped forward to show him that she was on his side._

 _"I think he really is trying to help." Kassandra replied confidently and she knew that if Cole meant her harm, he would have struck when she was at her most vulnerable. He earned her trust already and that was enough to warrant her protection. She turned back to Cole and nodded, her gesture speaking volumes. He would be allowed to stay as she vouched for him. If anyone held a problem with such an arrangement, they would either deal with it or they would deal with her._

 _"I won't be in the way. Tiny, no trouble, no notice taken unless you want them to…" Cole assured softly and he dared to glance up at Kassandra, whose soft eyes set him more at ease. Warmth… a soul that desires to be worthy of pride and struggles underneath the weight of her expectations._

 _"You're not honestly suggesting we give him run of the camp?" Cullen questioned, not fully eased by the decision to allow Cole to remain in the Inquisition's camp. His experience with spirits and demons was one marred by trauma and something he would rather not repeat if he could help it._

 _"Not freely perhaps, but it seems wise to—hold on!" Josephine interrupted herself when she realized the subject at the center of the discussion was not on the table. In fact, Cole seemed to be missing from the room._

 _"Where did he go?" Cassandra questioned and glanced around for any sight of Cole, but the spirit had vanished from the room. He had gone as he had arrived: quietly and by surprise._

 _"It's a good trick. You get used to it." Kassandra lamely remarked when her advisers and Seeker Pentaghast turned to her for an explanation about Cole's peculiarities since she seemed to vouch for him. The group murmured their various responses and milled about._

 _"We must see if he can teach it to anyone else," Leliana declared, breaking the lapse of silence in the discussion to accommodate the new development of Cole informally tagging along with the Inquisition. "I'll have people watch the boy, but let's not be distracted from the Breach." She reminded and her words sobered the group. That's what they were here for._

 _"We'll need your help when the Templar veterans arrive. Take time to prepare while you can," Cullen suggested brusquely as he moved past Kassandra and out the door. Josephine briskly rounded the table and passed through the door, heading for her office. Leliana and Cassandra departed together and discussed something in hushed whispers. That left Kassandra, standing at the edge of the table, in the war room all alone. She sighed, feeling extremely drained from that day's events. Her fingers brushed against the map of Thedas and toyed with a few of the figurines lining the board of completed and pending missions. Kassandra leaned along the table's edge and allowed her shoulders to slump._

 _The war room meeting was effectively over._

* * *

Kassandra sighed as she snapped out of her thoughts and watched Flissa top off her glass without her even needing to ask. She managed a small smile, but it clearly failed to reach her eyes. She did everything she needed to and yet, people still wanted to complain. Kass wondered if there were ulterior agendas at work but shrugged it off, knowing she couldn't please every damn person in the Inquisition. She brought the glass to her lips and took a tentative sip. She clearly had lost count of what number she was on but didn't care.

Nursing her brandy, Kassandra sipped at it daintily for a moment before she figured no one would care how she drank here and downed the remainder of her drink. She set the empty glass down on the counter lightly and signaled to Flissa for another drink. Flissa darted over and poured more West Hill Brandy out for the Herald, shelving her concern over the growing number of drinks that Kassandra consumed by that point. If Flissa's count was still correct, Kassandra was onto her fourth drink and the brandy was no lightweight liquor. The bartender topped off Kass' glass with the dark liquor and watched the Herald's eyes darken when something flashed across her face. Throughout her time in the bar, Kassandra seemed a million miles away from Haven and the darkness clouding her eyes like storm clouds only signaled foreboding options.

"Thank you," Kassandra mumbled her gratitude as Flissa walked away to stow the brandy away. She fiddled with the end of the loose curl by her left eye for a few seconds, abstaining from drinking right away. She normally wasn't a drinker and this unusual urge for a drink worried her. She swirled the brandy around in the glass and numbly watched the liquor catch the light and shift in color. At that moment, Commander Cullen walked into the Singing Maiden and his eyes landed upon Kassandra at the bar alone when he attempted to shake the light snowfall from his hair. He frowned at her slumped posture and a small streak of guilt raced through his mind as he approached her. He silently occupied the empty bar seat next to her, which gained her attention. Her heart raced when she noticed that Cullen sat next to her, clearly worried.

"Herald, how… what are you doing here?" Cullen questioned, taking in the muted storm in Kassandra's eyes that vanished when she met Cullen's eyes. Her eyes somehow became brighter, but not enough to mask that something lingered on her mind. In all honesty, Kassandra lacked the energy to slip on a mask of emotions that evening… or she was a little too tipsy. Either way, she experienced a rare form of vulnerability with the Commander taking place beside her.

"Licking my wounds after that uncomfortable war room meeting." Kassandra muttered with a bitter chuckle attached to the end. She softened her eyes when looking at Cullen and she fiddled with the neckline of her simple garb, missing her gowns and her family. The homesickness was hitting her unexpectedly for someone who often wondered about the world outside her safe harbor of Ostwick. She turned back to her drink and set the drink down with a sigh, rubbing at her eyes and running her fingers through her hair. "I also decided to drink away my temporary sorrows… a hell of a way to celebrate my birthday." Kassandra remarked quietly, almost with a sense of shame hanging heavily over her. She let the secret tumble from her lips and into the open for anyone to hear, but only Cullen was close enough to. His eyes widened at her revelation.

"It's your birthday? Maker's Breath, I-" Cullen stammered, and he felt utterly embarrassed. He wondered if Kassandra had mentioned it before and he cursed his struggling to remember. _"Did anyone else know? Josephine? Leliana? Any of her companions?"_ Cullen thought.

"It's alright. No one else knows about it either. With everything else going on and Thedas being ripped apart with the Mage-Templar War and the Breach, it felt wrong of me to insist celebration." Kassandra assured quickly when she noticed the panicked guilt in Cullen's eyes and she rested her hand on his armored shoulder to cease his unease. Cullen tilted his head to the side and studied Kassandra. Missing her birthday obviously stirred some pain and some longing for happier times, Cullen could see. He could also see that there was deep-seated pain hidden in her words from some darker demons lingering. Here she was pushing her needs and desires off to the side for the greater. Cullen's mind flickered to the lyrium kit resting on his desk in his chambers that was untouched, a painfully familiar and haunting urge breathing down his neck. Cullen shunned the image from his mind and gruffly coughed. He frowned at Kassandra, who sadly stared into her drink.

"I understand. Herald, if you… I mean… Maker's Breath, this should not be difficult to ask." Cullen quietly muttered and he rubbed at the back of his neck since Kassandra's curious eyes lingered on him. He hoped his face hadn't flushed red like he would have in his youth; that would be embarrassing. He gestured awkwardly to the drink in her hand, which was nearly empty after Kassandra snuck a few additional sips during her explanation. "May I buy you a drink in celebration?" Cullen managed to get the words out and in a manner that didn't harbor any double meanings. He hardly had to wait for Kassandra's answer as she smiled, a genuine smile. She undid her bun by pulling out an ornate pin, given as a gift by her paternal grandmother, and allowed her dark chestnut locks to tumble down and frame the delicate curve of her face. With her hair down and a smile on her face, Kassandra became a completely different person. Instead of the weary yet strong Herald of Andraste fighting at the Inquisition's whim, Kassandra appeared like the young, beautiful noblewoman she was with a whole life ahead of her. Optimism radiated from her like the gentle waves after she studied the pin and pocketed the valuable heirloom.

"Commander, I would be honored. I graciously accept your generous offer." Kassandra remarked instantaneously and that allowed Cullen to relax in relief. He sat back in his chair at the bar and leaned against his arms resting along the bar. His lips twitched into a smile without him realizing it and Kassandra noted how a smile changed him. She wished he would smile more because there was a levity in his eyes she rarely witnessed with their current situation regarding the Breach and a hostile Chantry and the Mage-Templar War.

"We're off the clock, Herald. You may refer to me as Cullen, if that suits you." Cullen declared, his tone softening once again from the hardened soldier who addressed his charges with command presence and strength. Kassandra still felt safe and comforted by him like she did when he played his role as the capable Commander. She shyly toyed with a loose curl and pushed her curls back over her shoulder to brush against her back.

"Then, I insist you call me Kassandra." She replied with a twinkle in her eyes that caused Cullen's tongue to catch on his words and his mouth to dry out like the sands of the Western Approach. Kassandra knew she possessed a small streak of stubbornness—which she apparently inherited from her spirted grandmother, according to her older brothers—and she wanted to level the playing field between her and Cullen. If he planned on lowering the formality, she saw no reason to cling to titles. Besides, she was not crazy about titles in the first place and she might succeed in getting someone outside her family to see her beyond her birthright and acquired titles.

"But, I-" Cullen stammered when he noticed her adamant expression and how she arched her brow at him, posing him a silent question. Well, why not? She seemed to be offering Cullen that inquiry to his hesitance to embrace the off-duty casual attitude he extended to her but not himself.

"Lady Kassandra, if you are insistent on formality." Kassandra enthusiastically persuaded and she wore the beginnings of a smile on her lips. The edges of her eyes crinkled while the indeterminant shade of blue beamed with levity. With how the day started, Kassandra hardly expected to find herself enjoying what should be an amazing day. Normally, her birthday would have incited some form of celebration if she were home with her parents and brothers and grandmother. The Inquisition was hardly suited or on its feet enough for a celebration now. But a small moment with someone who seemed to care would be enough for her.

"If that is what you wish, Lady Kassandra." Cullen conceded and he nodded gruffly at Flissa who flounced over to the Inquisition's Commander and its greatest warrior with her gentile smile and the bottle of West Hill Brandy in her hands. She grabbed an additional glass for the Commander and poured him a suitable amount before filling Kassandra's glass. She gave the two some privacy by heading to the other side of the tavern to clean. Cullen turned to Kassandra with glass in hand and both wearing small smiles, a rare sight for the Commander. He raised his glass up and his amber eyes glimmered in the low firelight. "To you, Kassandra, and your fierce demeanor. You have inspired hope in a broken Thedas and I- we are forever indebted to you," Cullen toasted to Kassandra sincerely and proudly. Kassandra bit down on her lip and glanced down into her glass; it was nice to be reminded that she stood as a symbol of hope in a world gone mad. That made some of the days, which were difficult, a little easier to swallow.

"Thank you, Cullen." Kassandra replied to his heartfelt toast through a gleaming smile and she raised her glass up to meet his. She and Cullen brought their glasses to their lips and drank the brandy in tandem. Neither agonizingly slow or swiftly with greed, the Commander and Herald savored their drinks in the quiet of the bar where the only sound to be heard was the crackling of the hearth mixed with the faint echoes of the whistling winter wind in the distance. The two sipped at their drinks in comfortable silence; there was no need to speak for either Cullen or Kassandra as the silence said more than words could. It was a silence of gratitude from Kassandra and one of companionship from Cullen.

"I believe it would be a wise idea to walk off my liquor… You are more than welcome to accompany, Cullen." Kassandra softly offered and she leaned her head back into her hands. She closed her eyes for a moment and exhaled softly, audibly pushing the breath out through her parted lips. The brandy in her body worked to push back the aching exhaustion lingering in her bones as well as her soul. When initially faced with the problem of the Breach, Kassandra eagerly accepted the challenge to help and she had no clue what would await her. At least the work she did with the Inquisition absolved some of the guilt and made the nightmares less consuming. She opened her eyes once more and turned to Cullen, waiting for his acceptance or refusal of her offer.

"I might have a moment," Cullen mused, implicitly accepting her offer to walk around Haven. Kassandra nodded, rising from her seat and headed over to grab her winter cloak, navy-blue and trimmed with silver accents, hanging by the door. When Kassandra's back was turned, Cullen pressed a few pieces of silver into Flissa's hand to cover the cost of his singular drink and Kassandra's bar tab for the evening. The gesture was small, but Cullen thought that it would make up for the day devoid of celebration. Flissa nodded as she accepted the payment and glanced between the Commander and the Herald of Andraste with an inkling of the vibe between the two. She held back a smile as it seemed neither had a clue about the way they looked at each other.

Kassandra and Cullen stepped out of the tavern and were assaulted by the frigid temperature of the outside. Kassandra shivered slightly as she pulled her cloak closer to her body to stave off the cold. She and Cullen departed from the tavern and walked toward the stairs. Cullen was following Kassandra's lead and the two were in-step as they ascended the first stairs. Other than soldiers and the occasional townsperson, Haven was asleep. The quiet of the refugee settlement allowed Kassandra to think and decompress after the harrowing journey she returned from.

"Lady Kassandra, may I ask about the Templars?" Cullen inquired quietly, contemplatively and Kassandra thought nothing of it. To her, Cullen was a man of quiet intensity.

"Certainly," Kassandra agreed calmly, but her pulse spiked when she picked up on the barely audible, shaky breath Cullen exhaled out. He sounded like he was trying to compose himself and Kassandra wondered what he desired to ask her that would elicit such a reaction.

"Tell me about the state of the Order." Cullen requested and that instantly chilled Kassandra's mood. Cullen noticed the shift in her expression. Were things that bad at Therinfal Redoubt? Kassandra knew that Cullen held faith in the Order, but she hardly had the heart to break that. He knew what she wrote in her report and need not know the personal horrors she witnessed with her eyes. The Order was on the road to recovery and restoration to the higher purpose it was built for. Those demons were best left behind in the past.

"Cullen, trust me… That is a question you don't want to know the answer to. All that matters is that we will rebuild the Order." Kassandra shakily dissuaded his imploring curiosity and Cullen searched the depths of her stormy, azure eyes for an answer. All he could find was a sadness in them; one that left him with more questions than answers. But Cullen, in that moment, decided that he would trust Kassandra's word and drop the subject. He gave her a relenting nod and Kassandra swallowed back a sigh. She pushed back the hood of her cloak for a moment to run her fingers through her dark chestnut curls. "You know, I once wanted to be a Templar."

"You did?" Cullen questioned and Kassandra nodded wordlessly. He blinked at that newfound revelation, but his next thought fixated on the word 'once'. What changed in Kassandra to make her abandon her desire to serve? "Then, why didn't you?"

"My family." Kassandra eventually answered but rushed to clarify further. "Well, some of my family… It is a complicated tale." She mumbled and wrapped her arms around herself. Her eyes darted off to the side, catching Quartermaster Therin's tent in her peripheral vision, before refocusing on the horizon ahead. Keeping her eyes level to the distance was a strategy of hers to keep her eyes from watering. Her emotions bore down on her with an immense weight that it was a wonder there was no physical toll.

"We have time," Cullen proposed, and they stood in front of the Chantry doors. Kassandra understood his words meant more than just a note of time, but rather a willingness to listen. He noticed how Kassandra lingered on the Chantry and he pushed the doors open. Kassandra ducked her head graciously in a bow and she walked into the Chantry's sanctuary. Cullen pulled the door close as he followed behind her, taking in the Chantry in the evening. There were no lay sisters present nor any prayers, leaving the hall empty. Candles lined the walkway to keep the halls of such a holy building from plunging into the clutches of darkness. Much like these candles, Kassandra believed the Inquisition would restore faith from the darkness and deliver Thedas back into the Maker's light.

"My parents and brothers supported my decision to enlist in the Templar Order rather than become a lay sister in the Chantry. My family is well-known for our piety around Ostwick and the youngest of each family devotes themselves to serving the Chantry. However, most of my extended family believe only male Trevelyans should join the Templars as women are only meant to be meek lay sisters. Funnily enough, you would think their opinions would change after my performance in the Grand Tourney." Kassandra explained with bitterness peeking through her clipped, composed answer. Her family, at large, was stuck in a long-forgotten mindset about women and that bound back the wings of her grand ambitions to do something bigger than marry some nobleman and bear children. She was not content with such a fate and destined for much more, which frightened her extended family to a great degree. To them, she would ruin the Trevelyan reputation on some foolhardy quest to be great, a task that they deigned was only suited for men. Her parents and brothers might be the exception, but they were outnumbered. She stopped in the middle of the pathway and Cullen waited a pace or two behind her. His eyes settled on the curve of her face, darkened by the low light of the candles and the cover of her cloak's hood.

"You entered the Grand Tourney? I have heard the best of the best in the Free Marches enter the tournament." Cullen remembered some vague tidbits of stories he overheard in Kirkwall taverns and he hardly batted an eye since the idea made enough sense to be unquestionably true. His first impression of her came from when he witnessed the wake of destruction she could level on a battlefield during the aftermath of the Breach's emergence. Kassandra was a skilled warrior, no doubt about it. Cullen wondered how far she went into the tournament, but he figured she would mention it when she felt comfortable.

"I entered under an alias and a disguise to avoid alerting my uncle Florence. He may not be the Bann of House Trevelyan, but he is the next in line. That, and the shady dealings I suspect he conducts with less than reputable members of the city bestow him a decent amount of power and influence." Kassandra elaborated and she glanced up at the plain wooden surroundings of the Haven Chantry. If she closed her eyes, she could see the Ostwick Chantry with the pristine white walls and beautiful, multi-colored stained-glass windows and the grandiose pulpit with an alter worthy of Andraste's praise. But she could also sense other things like the hints of incense wafting through the pews, the memory of a choir singing praises of the Maker in melodious harmony, and the insidious cold she felt whenever her uncle stepped into the Chantry and paraded around like a pious man. She suppressed a shudder, "Florence is at the center of this tale. He used his influence and donations to keep the Templars in Ostwick from accepting me. As my parents' only daughter and an eligible woman for marriage, he convinced them to keep me locked away in the city and confined mostly to the manor I grew up in. It was my grandmother's declaration as the family matriarch that allowed me to attend the Conclave with the four other Trevelyan lines."

Cullen listened to her story with rapt attention and a growing dislike of Florence Trevelyan, through what Kassandra shared of him. His mind flashed to Meredith, which he quickly shunned and banished to the depths of his mind. He cleared his throat gruffly as they resumed their stroll through the Chantry.

"Do you miss them? Your parents? Your brothers?" Cullen questioned, knowing how he felt in his heart about his family. Mia, Rosalie, and Branson… they were out there somewhere, and all Cullen could hope is that they were safe.

"I do." Kassandra responded and she reached a private alcove in the Chantry a few lit candles flickering, the shadows dancing across her face. She slowly knelt before the candles and bowed her head, exhaling slightly. Cullen stepped out of the alcove to give Kassandra some privacy, leaning against a nearby pillar for a brief respite. He sighed while shutting his eyes, allowing the tranquility of the empty Chantry to wash over him. He guiltily knew he neglected his prayers as of late and his upbringing with close ties to the Chantry induced a small inkling of shame deep in his stomach. He imagined Kassandra, who knelt a few feet away from him, doing her prayers. Even with everything going on and the chaos consuming her life, Kassandra still made room for her faith and that inspired Cullen somewhat.

So, for the first time in weeks, Cullen prayed. He bowed his head and kept his eyes squeezed shut while he racked his brain for a prayer. Nothing he knew from his days as a young, eager Templar recruit could properly address the pleas of a struggling, broken man. Cullen struggled to articulate the demons that lingered in the shadows of his memories and those that harbored their homes in his weary soul. _"Maker show me the way that I have strayed from… so I may walk in your light once more. Show me how to be stronger than the siren's song of lyrium and how to leave it behind as I left the Order behind. Teach me the bravery I need to lead the Inquisition into greatness for you, oh Maker... Show me that I possess the courage to not let her down…"_ Cullen besought and a sense of calmness settled where the guilt once was when his eyes opened and he saw Kassandra standing next to him. She had tapped her finger gently against his shoulder and that was enough to return him to the world outside his thoughts. Her cheeks were flushed a delicate pink and Cullen swore he might look the same. Kassandra somehow slipped into his prayers

"Thank you for letting me pray. I normally do nightly prayers in my room, but it was nice to be in the Chantry." Kassandra remarked graciously and she managed a smile to further illustrate her statement. The Commander was going out of his way to accommodate her wishes, which she greatly appreciated.

"Of course," Cullen replied, knowing that she need not thank him. Instead, he should be thanking her… for she was the reason he prayed tonight. Kassandra and Cullen moved back the way they came and stepped back out into the cold, winter night. The wind had settled down from earlier, but the cold remained a steady constant. Noticing her yawn, Cullen rested a hand on her shoulder and avoided flushing when she settled her eyes on him, looking at him with a softness in them he felt unworthy of. He swallowed roughly and stated, "It's late. Let me escort you back to your room."

"You're right," Kassandra agreed with his observation and she shyly looped her arm with Cullen's when she rested her hand in the crook of his elbow. Cullen felt his heartbeat accelerate and he cleared his throat lowly, keeping himself from stiffening at her touch. The gesture was innocent, a hearkening back to her upbringing as a noblewoman. It reminded Cullen of Kassandra's status, one far above him. Cullen and Kassandra walked away from the Chantry and toward the gate protecting Haven since Kassandra's room was in a small cabin by the gate.

"Lady Kassandra, I know that you are a busy woman. I was hoping to invite you to Inquisition training in the mornings. We could use a trained eye like yours to supervise… or participate if you prefer." Cullen rambled nervously and he met Kassandra's eyes. She could see that behind the characteristic sternness of his amber eyes, a small fledgling spark of hope appeared. Most likely, it was spurred by his invitation. Kassandra mulled over his offer for approximately three seconds before knowing her answer.

"I would like that," Kassandra responded kindly and eagerly. She leaned against the door and pulled her hood down, freeing her wild tresses to frame her face. It had been a long time since she sparred with anyone for the intent of training or woke up before the sun to hone her craft. She would be there tomorrow morning, "Goodnight, Cullen." She smiled at him before she closed the door to her lodgings.

"Goodnight, Kassandra…" Cullen whispered to the closed door and he turned his eyes upward to the sky, studying the few stars that slipped through the hidden barrier of the clouds. He rubbed at the back of his neck while he contemplated his faith. Cullen believed that the Maker put people into one's path for a reason. So, what was his reason for putting Kassandra in his or him in hers?


	15. XV: Survival of the Faithful

The sun barely peeked out from the mountainous horizon when Kassandra awakened and writhed underneath the heavy warmth of her blankets. She rubbed at her eyes and yawned, shaking off the embrace of sleep. Bright azure eyes flicked around as she sat up in bed, remembering she promised Cullen to join him for the morning training. They must already be awake and standing outside the gates of Haven, swords and armor donned in preparation for the war they expected to fight. Kassandra slipped from the bed and made quick work of changing into warm clothes and some light, simple armor she crafted with Harrit, the Inquisition's blacksmith. She grabbed her sword from where it leaned against a simple wooden dresser and darted out the door.

As she ran, Kassandra fastened her sword's sheath to her belt and tied her hair back into a ponytail with the spare hair ribbon she always kept on hand. The light jog pace ensured Kassandra swiftly reached the gates of Haven and she threw them open, garnering attention from all the soldiers. Their eyes widened when they realized the Herald of Andraste's state of dress and inferred that she would be supervising their training. Kassandra purposefully strode through the ranks of the soldiers and met Cullen's eyes, which were somewhat amused by the reaction of his men. He composed his expression after sharing a discreet, swift smile with Kassandra. They were on-duty now, meaning they were the Herald and the Commander and not Kassandra and Cullen.

"The Herald has graciously volunteered her time to supervise your training and her insight is a valuable privilege." Cullen declared sharply to his troops and the tone conveyed a clear-cut message: take this seriously or else. The soldiers snapped to attention when Kassandra reached her place to Cullen's right, the position of honor. She nodded to Cullen to resume the warm-ups for the soldiers as the formation told her that they just began morning training. Cullen faced the soldiers with a sharp pivot, and they understood it as their order to resume training. Cullen and Kassandra watched with sharp eyes over the soldiers. While they weren't perfect, they were coming along decently for men and women who probably never intended to be soldiers… and those who were, their experience showed through. After a while, Cullen held his hand up and gave a wordless signal that made the clang and clatter of swords cease and all attention to settle back on the Commander. Kassandra studied the mastery with a quick bite down on her lower lip to keep from interrupting. "Today we shall begin with more advanced techniques. A demonstration is needed." Cullen stated and his soldiers swiftly tucked their gear away as Cullen usually commanded.

"A demonstration? Now, I'm intrigued." Kassandra coyly remarked and she flicked her ponytail over her shoulder when she realized it became askew after her dash here. She always maintained overall composure and the gesture hardly looked out of place rather than a near instinctual response to fixing her visage of any impurities. Cullen overheard her comment and he tried his best not to smile. The corners of his lips twitched but he ultimately kept it together. Although, one smile was quite tempting. Cullen gestured for two of his lieutenants to stand before him. He explained the technique, which was slipping into an opponent's guard and sweeping their feet out from under them by hooking their heel with one's ankle. The move was underhanded but might make the difference between life and death on the battlefield, which was the lesson Cullen wished to impart on his troops. Cullen made his two demonstrators mimic the scenario multiple times with slow and fast renditions. However, Kassandra felt there was something missing and she felt she had a solution which would remedy it.

"Perhaps they might glean something from a more realistic demonstration, Commander." Kassandra innocently suggested and the look in her eye betrayed the perceived innocence. Kassandra had been itching for some low stakes sparring since before the Conclave and that was an itch long overdue to be scratched. Cullen's lips quirked in thought before nodding; Kassandra made a valid point and Cullen knew that the training of the Inquisition's soldiers must be rival to none. Therefore, he needed to make every effort to ensure optimal training.

"An excellent suggestion, Herald." Cullen agreed and he gestured for one of his lieutenants to grab them two swords and two shields. "Lt. Crispin and I will be in the match." He declared to his men, who predicted the outcome would likely gift Cullen the win for the match. Cullen started to say something else put a delicate tap on his shoulder halted him in place.

"Actually- Commander, would you bestow me the honor of a sparring match?" Kassandra inquired, lightly clearing her throat. Her question spurred a flurry of astonished whispers from the soldiers within formation, especially by those who witnessed her exploits on the battlefield. All unauthorized murmurs were silenced through one sharp glare from Cullen. He faced Kassandra, who raised her brow challengingly at him and a slight competitive desire raced through his mind.

"It would be me who is honored." Cullen replied and again gestured to one of his lieutenants for his shield and sword. He slid his arm into his shield, and he drew his sword.

"And please, don't go easy." Kassandra grinned when she unsheathed her sword and expertly twirled the gleaming blade with an effortless flick of her wrist. The soldiers gawked in awe as their commander and the blessed chosen of the Maker's Bride drew their weapons and donned fighting stances. They formed a loose half-circle around Cullen and Kassandra while the two circled around each other with a focused, yet playful gaze interlocked tightly and unshaken by the other. Much to the surprise of those watching, Kassandra made the first move and lunged right for Cullen. Their blades clashed together, and Kassandra held her ground against Cullen while both warriors pushed with their blades. Cullen pushed back harder against Kassandra, but she dug her heel into the ground to stabilize her. Since they were at a stalemate, Kassandra figured that she should subvert expectations.

Shifting the weight into her heels, Kassandra swiftly backed out the impasse with swords and threw her shield up to block Cullen's incoming blade. Kassandra's eyes narrowed in honed concentration and her face contorted into a fierce glower. Her strategy: train like you fight and she usually fought to the death. Cullen and Kassandra circled around each other once more.

"You are going to give me quite the challenge, aren't you?" Cullen asked Kassandra when he adjusted his sword in his grip, to which Kassandra replied by way of a knowing smirk. She didn't expect him to go easy on her and she would reciprocate that desire.

"You know, I was thinking about something I wanted to ask you. Do templars take vows? I swear to the Maker to watch all the mages…that sort of thing?" Kassandra inquired, her curiosity edging out. She hardly seemed out of breath from the duel so far and Cullen realized he would need to fight even harder. Normally, Cullen wouldn't answer questions about the life he led as a templar during a crucial moment of focus. But he knew Kassandra's interest in the templar life that she shared with him the night prior and something about her compelled him to answer.

"There's a vigil first. You're meant to be at peace during that time, but your life is about to change. When it's over, you give yourself to a life of service. That's when you're given a philter—your first draft of lyrium and its power. As templars, we are not to seek wealth or acknowledgment. Our lives belong to the Maker and the path we have chosen." Cullen described while the two exchanged a tit for tat of swordplay and none of the blows could seem to land, indicating that Cullen and Kassandra were just about evenly matched.

"A life of service and sacrifice. Are templars also expected to give up… physical temptation?" Kassandra spoke low enough that only Cullen could hear her. The soldiers of the Inquisition were intently watching but were unable to hear their private conversation over the whispers from their comrades. There was even money exchanging hands with bets on which warrior would emerge victorious out of the sight of the two combatants and the supervising lieutenants.

"Physical?" Cullen blinked at her question, not quite understanding the meaning, and when he did realize her intended meaning, he stifled back the strangled groan of shock. He swung his sword at Kassandra and she deftly maneuvered her shield to take the blow. She ground her heels into the earth beneath her to stabilize her. Cullen's blows were powerful, and she had no intention of being knocked off her feet from the blowback of his blows. Cullen swallowed, Why… why would you… That's not expected. Templars can marry—although there are rules around it., and the Order must grant permission. Some may choose to give up more to prove their devotion, but it's, um, not required." Cullen explained calmly but no amount of training with the Templars or years in the Chantry could prepare him for Kassandra's next question.

"Have you?" A simple question from Kassandra completely turned Cullen's world upside down and he momentarily forgot to breath. If he denied the temptation that ran through his mind at her words and the suggestion laced in them, the Maker would surely strike him down as a liar. Luckily, he regained his bearing to dodge a slash from Kassandra and moved around him. Kassandra easily regained her positioning with a quick pivot of her heel. She gamely chased after Cullen, transforming into the aggressive offense fighter. They continued to parry each attack and their swords adopted a dual function of sword and shield.

"Me? I…um… no. I have taken no such vows." Cullen stammered when he and Kassandra locked swords again and pushed against each other in a second deadlock. Their eyes met—amber colliding with azure blue in an intense focus. Neither would concede in their deadlock and Cullen's mind considered several movements to turn the tide in his favor, but his thoughts were scrambled by Kassandra's suggestive inquiry. Thinking about it turned his face flushed and his pulse roared in his ears. Something hooked around his ankle and it was all over for Cullen. He hardly realized how close Kassandra had gotten in his guard until his back hit a patch of snow when his legs were swept out from underneath him. Standing over him, Kassandra pressed the blade to his chest to signal a killing blow and she nudged him with her leg, which was still hooked around his ankle. The soldiers raucously cheered for the excellent display and the Herald's victory. Kassandra pulled her blade back and she shared a clandestine smile with Cullen in their eyes when she held out her hand. Cullen grasped her hand with his and Kassandra assisted him back onto her feet.

"Good to know," Kassandra whispered next to Cullen's ear in a moment of boldness before she stepped back to a respectable distance between the two. She turned to the crowd with a clipped expression, but the smile gleamed in her eyes. As for Cullen, Kassandra missed the red that peppered his cheeks which one could easily mistake for signs of exertion lingering after the end of their duel. Cullen rubbed at the back of his neck boyishly and cleared his throat, slipping back into the emotionally detached command presence that his job entailed.

"I expect that demonstration should be sufficient enough." Cullen supposed aloud and his soldiers barked back their affirmation before they partnered off to practice. Cullen nodded to Kassandra as he walked around and observed his men.

* * *

Days later, Kassandra and her chosen companions for the day thundered across the broad fields of the Hinterlands on their mounts with Kassandra leading on Aria's back. She settled her gaze on a fortress built into the mountain and quickened Aria's swift gallop with a nudge of her boot heel. Her mount snorted in response and sped up as her master commanded. The Inquisition group raced up the narrow path carved into the hill and managed to conquer the steep incline in record time. Dismounting, Kassandra brought Varric, Cole, and Iron Bull with her to scout out a supposed cult belonging to followers of Andraste who defected from the Chantry.

"We approach with caution and our weapons at the ready. They might be like how we handled the Blades of Hessarian on the Storm Coast, but we have no idea what kind of defense we'll encounter." Kassandra commanded and Iron Bull tucked away his double-headed axe with a begrudging groan.

"Cheer up, Tiny… I'm sure there will be plenty of demons or Fade creatures you can thrash on the way back." Varric chuckled, comfortingly patting Bull's knee as he followed behind Kassandra, who confidently marched up to the building after securing all four mounts.

"That's what I'd rather not face." Iron Bull grumbled and glanced over at Cole, who admired the bright scenery of the Hinterlands wilderness quietly, before he ambled after his companions. Cole brought up the rear of the group when Kassandra arrived at the looming gate into the sanctuary of the alleged cult. She flicked her braid over her shoulder and rested her hand on her sheathed sword's hilt. Her mission was to portray confidence without it crossing the thin line into aggression, which would be difficult with her sporting a full set of armor and a blade on her hip.

She approached the woman alone and her companions watched as a terse and efficient conversation ensured between Kassandra and who they assumed was the cult's leader. Moments later, Kassandra returned as the iron gate slowly creaked open.

"I spoke with a woman who calls herself 'Speaker Anais'. She told me that she desires a sign that proves I am the Herald of Andraste." Kassandra relayed to her companions and she adjusted her sheathed sword along a belt. She narrowed her eyes in the direction of the fortress and imagined the hints of a rift peeking out from the slots of an iron gate.

"And what do you plan to do?" Varric questioned and he noted the twinkle in Kassandra's eye; that meant there was some idea, crazy or relatively tame, brewing in that mind of hers. Kassandra cracked her knuckles and tilted her neck to the sides, popping the tension away.

"Easy. We're going to seal the Rift." Kassandra decided and she jogged back toward the fortress of the cult. Varric and Iron Bull scrambled after Kassandra and Cole brought up the rear silently. The foursome marched through the semi-crowded gathering of people, members of the cult, and directly for the glowing rift in the distance. There was an iron-wrought fence standing between the rift and a slew of potential victims that the demons would tear through mercilessly.

"Well, at least she has some plan." Varric mumbled while he jogged to catch up with Kassandra's purposeful, brisk march through the fortress. Eyes followed them while they passed through and headed deeper and deeper into the cult's midst. The four stood outside another rusted gate and waited for the reluctant guards to open it. The gate creaked and groaned as the rusty iron barrier glacially rose and opened the space between Kassandra, her companions, and the rift.

The four descended down the stairs once the gate opened fully and when Kassandra drew close enough, the rift crackled to life with a glow and accompanied by the various growls and hisses of the demons. Kassandra smirked and she brandished her sword in a taunt as several creatures appeared and whirled on her. Bull thundered down beside her and the two fearlessly dove into the fray with weapons at the ready. The beasts of that rift were among Kassandra's most hated: terrors. She despised their high-pitched shrill shrieks that summoned portals. Now, there were only three terrors… but another wave would arise once the current threat was dispatched by the Inquisition warriors.

Varric stood on the steps and provided suitable cover with bolts from Bianca with righteous fury and witty comebacks. Cole would dart around the battlefield and disappear once he distracted and attacked the creatures to their frustration that their intended target vanished. Kassandra sliced through one of the terrors and heard the crack of the rift, signaling the final wave of terrors.

Four of the creatures crawled through holes in the ground and wailed, announcing their arrival to their foes. Cole danced between two of the creatures with Varric launching projectiles to keep them focused on a constant distraction. Kassandra and Bull handled the other two; deftly tearing through the demons with their wickedly sharp blades and non-stop assaults. Eventually, the battlefield was cleared of all the demons and left the final step for Kassandra to finish. Lifting her hand up, Kassandra went through the familiar process of destroying a rift with a seal and a flick of her arm. The rift shut and evaporated, clearing another remnant of the Fade into oblivion. The Inquisition party trekked back up the stairs with their intended mission accomplished. Kassandra signaled her companions to hang back while she approached Speaker Anais for the second time. As she grew closer, she noticed the wide eyes of the woman and her slack jaw. Kassandra took in the awed stares as she walked past and swore that some of the cultists appeared on the verge of fainting or speaking in tongues like some of the more hyper-religious members of her family during a Chantry sermon.

"Maker's Tears, I was a fool to have doubted you. How may we serve you, Herald of Andraste?" Speaker Anais inquired and she nearly bowed at Kassandra's feet, but Kassandra waved her hand. She didn't need the drawn-out process of bowing and titles and schmoozing. She saved that for the nobles because she found amusement when she threw them off-kilter in the way only a noblewoman could.

"Have the believers spread the word of the Inquisition." Kassandra instructed her without hesitation, knowing the Inquisition could benefit from vocal support among the peasants. As much as nobility discredited them, common folk could be quite the driving force and she studied enough history to know that nobles who ignored the working class would end up with their heads on pikes.

"As you say, Herald of Andraste." Speaker Anais agreed, seeing the arrangement as fair compensation for ridding the fortress of the dangerous rift.

"As you were," Kassandra remarked and she stepped back, giving a nod before turning on her heel. Kassandra recollected her crew and relayed the good news to them as they departed from the fortress and consulted their map to locate the agreed rendezvous point at one of the Inquisition camps. They chose the one close to Horsemaster Dennet's farm and rode off, noting the rapidly changing color of the sky into hues of red, orange, and pink synonymous with the day's end. By the time Kassandra and her party arrived back at the closest camp where the Inquisition forces agreed to regroup, the sun started to droop below the horizon and the Hinterlands often got dark pretty fast. Blackwall and Cassandra were surrounding a roaring fire while Vivienne sipped at a cup of tea in silence. She would eye at Cole from over the rim of her cup as she didn't necessarily trust the spirt boy, as did others in the Inquisition.

"We're back!" Bull bellowed as the four trudged back into camp. Kassandra glided over to the fire to note the progress before she disappeared into her tent. The tent was only occupied by Sera, snoring away on her cot. Kassandra quickly stripped off her armor and nudged Sera with the tip of her foot.

"Sera, get up. We have dinner." Kassandra mentioned and ducked out of the tent before a half-asleep Sera could curse at her or smack her with the nearest object for waking her up. Stepping back into the makeshift camp, Kassandra navigated around the bits of clutter that her party dropped. She occupied the end of one of the logs that Blackwall rolled over to the fire for the others to sit. She reached into her travel pack and pulled out a small bundle, which carried her rations for the day. Since the mission wasn't intended to be an extended stay, Kassandra made the executive decision to keep the supply of food limited.

"Did you manage to find the cult we heard about?" Cassandra asked, glancing up from her food at Kassandra. Kassandra nodded and she watched the former Seeker of Truth occupy the space next to her on the log. The two women sighed exhaustedly and shared knowing glances. Cassandra nearly wrestled a bear that day while Kassandra strangled a handful of demons to win over a fanatical cult; both women went the extra mile for the Inquisition.

"We managed to seal the rift and we now have a new Inquisition agent in Speaker Anais." Kassandra relayed and munched on some of her leftover rations from that morning. They planned to keep the trip to the Hinterlands short as it merely served to neatly fix loose ends of the Mage-Templar fighting and the Fade's presence within the area. Besides, Haven required most supplies with the templars arriving along with more refugees who decided to join the Inquisition when the Order announced the alliance. With the Templars on her mind, Kassandra grimaced slightly when she reminded herself of what awaited her back at Haven. Sealing the Breach very well could kill her and Kassandra wondered what came next, stuck on the unknown beyond a week's journey back to Haven.

"That's an excellent outcome." Vivienne commented and she glided to the other side of Kassandra on the log. By that point, all the companions emerged from their tents with new clothes or appeared somewhat rested since the other teams completed lighter missions. They occupied all available spaces by the fire and started off with eating their meals in peace. Kassandra glanced up to see the stars out in full force, blanketing the midnight ink sky in glimmering threads of light and beauty. The moons were glowing in the distance and the Hinterlands were cloaked in a quiet stillness.

Kassandra knew that they should likely cover mission debriefs, but she didn't feel like skipping straight to business. Something in her gut told her that this night would be one of the last before the Inquisition attempted to seal the Breach. She wasn't the only one working to the bone to stop this crisis and she made the executive decision for tonight to be one of relaxation. As if he sensed her thoughts, Blackwall lifted his mug to his lips and cleared his throat to garner everyone's attention.

"Tell us a story, Varric." Blackwall insisted and sipped at his mug, which was full of something that came out of a small flask attached to his pack. Kassandra had seen Sera with that flask before and she raised her brow, amused by the friendship burgeoning between Blackwall and Sera—unlikely but not awful.

"I might write stories for a living, but I'd like to hear someone else's story for one evening." Varric remarked, glancing up from his parchment. Some of the others assumed that parchment was him chronicling events for the book that he allegedly was writing about the Inquisition, like his Tale of the Champion. Bull clapped his hands together and grinned wolfishly at his companions around the fire; he could arrange that.

"I've got one. You'll want to save this; in case you write a book on the Inquisition." Bull declared, directing that last statement to Varric who barely glanced up from his parchment and swift writing. Cassandra tried to lean over and peek at what Varric was writing, but he tilted it away from her and clicked his tongue disapprovingly. Cassandra huffed and narrowed her eyes at Varric, still not trusting him fully. To be fair, their trust was getting a little better than when Kassandra first met them in the aftermath of the Conclave.

"If you insist, Tiny." Varric snorted in bemusement and the group shifted around to listen to Bull's story, all quite pleased by the idea of stories to pass the time. Many of the group were adventurers before the Inquisition and everyone around the story had some story to contribute.

"The Chargers and I were contracted for a mission in the Anderfels for some noble dude with a bounty on his head. Within twenty minutes of our arrival to this noble's mansion or whatever, a group of assassins broke in. So, the boys and I…" Bull proceeded to relay a lengthy story about the mission and hardly spared the gory details for the crew. From how wounds oozed blood to decapitations to a particularly vivid recollection of how Bull eviscerated a man with his horns alone. Most of the people around the fire were fine with the description, save for Vivienne who seemed slight affronted by the barbaric tale and Cole who was sensitive. Once Bull finished his story, he wore a satisfied grin and lounged back.

"Alright, your turn. The revered Herald must share at least one story." Blackwall remarked, louder than she was used to him being since he did indulge a couple drinks. The group turned to Kassandra, awaiting her acceptance of Blackwall's proclamation.

"Yeah, I'm dying to know about some fellow Free Marcher shenanigans, courtesy of Lioness." Varric chuckled while he pulled out some more parchment to write on. He already had copious notes scribbled onto other pages resting to next to his foot. Raising her brow intrigued, Kassandra supposed that Lioness was her new nickname chosen by Varric. All things considering, Lioness wasn't bad at all, but she wondered what made Varric settle on that.

"You really want to hear about me?" Kassandra questioned, surprised by that notion. Compared to her companions, she lived the most sheltered life out of the group and her experiences most likely paled in comparison.

"Yes, darling… Perhaps you might tell less gruesome and obscene stories?" Vivienne mused while casting a knowing glance at Bull, who merely shrugged with the hints of a grin. He quite liked his story, especially about the part where he eviscerated a man with his horns. Kassandra sighed and she rolled her shoulders back to a very satisfying pop from her back. She stared at the fire while she her thoughts drifted back to her life before the Conclave, a less hectic time in her life and yet, somehow equally frustrating.

"Alright, let me start with the time I won the Grand Tourney." Kassandra decided after a minute of contemplation, figuring this story had enough elements to entertain everyone. This story was a tale of action with plenty of fighting, secrets, and a big reveal at the end. Much like one of Varric's books, her tale of the Grand Tourney should captivate her audience… or at least Kassandra hoped it would.

"This ought to be good." Bull eagerly remarked and he leaned back against the log. All the companions waited for Kassandra to begin her story with varying degrees of contextual knowledge about the Grand Tourney from little to complete understanding.

"I should preface this with some context, I suppose. My family was- is kind of horrid and their beliefs outline that women belong in the home. Now, my parents and brothers are different but that's prevailing viewpoint. So, much of my family disregard my passion for sword fighting as some bratty rebellion against the family norms instead of me pursuing a valuable skill. It greatly angered them that a woman could make their sons look weak in a man's duty." Kassandra explained, emphasizing the backwards, restrictive thinking of her relatives with air quotes. A couple people around the fire grumbled at the ideas she laid out and how stupid they sounded.

"Ugh, how horrible." Cassandra scoffed, understanding exactly what restricting mindset some noble families enforced with their girls. She and Kassandra likely faced similar forms of discrimination from their families, making their name not the only thing the two shared in common.

"Tell me about it. I was adamant about competing within the Tourney. I suspect that it was their disbelief that I, as a woman, could do well which drove me to do it. They should have learned that I can be somewhat spiteful when it comes to them… Anyways, knowing that my uncle would do whatever he could to keep me out of the tourney, I did the only thing I could: I entered the tourney under an alias and pretended to be a man." Kassandra shrugged nonchalantly, causing a hoot of laughter and gasps to arise from her wicked smirk. The fire light cast shadows across her face, and they heightened the rather emotive way Kassandra regaled her crafty workaround. She laced her hands and settled them in her lap and lost herself in thought when she caught the tail-end of a question.

"Were you afraid of entering the arena, knowing that you could be exposed at any moment, dear?" Vivienne inquired and Kassandra contemplated her question for a moment. At the time, she was driven by her emboldened anger to prove herself and hardly considered fear when she stormed into arena for each fight. She supposed that she did feel some fear in hindsight.

"The first day was intense. I walked into the arena with nearly fifty other fighters, a majority men, to the deafening roars of the gathered Free Marchers in the crowd. I could see my family in their box toward the middle center of the arena. That was more daunting than the idea that I would be competing against forty-nine of the most skilled fighters from all over the Free Marches." Kassandra admitted on the heels of a chuckle and she recalled all the nerves threatening to boil over in her stomach in pure nostalgia. While daunting back then, all those years ago, she longed for simpler times like then compared to her life now. If only younger her knew what kind of mess she would find herself in; she most likely would have stressed less. Reclining back comfortably since she was in her favorite pair of trousers and a simple blouse, Kassandra steadily undid the complex braid she wore with her fingers while she stared into the flames licking at the supply of wood. Those stormy azure eyes of hers were filled with so much conflict for someone so young and presumably sheltered… however, those presumptions were far from true. There were other kinds of danger lurking within the most seemingly innocuous of places.

"Your family was there? How did they not realize that you were missing?" Cassandra inquired, wondering how Kassandra evaded the notice of her uncle who seemingly kept close eye on her and tried to keep her under his control.

"I made up some lie about visiting some various Chantries to decide a potential location to serve, a lie which greatly satiated my uncle and my cousin Iva. With me gone, Florence could make certain Iva was the center of attention in the social circles of Ostwick. But they had no clue that I was in the arena below." Kassandra replied and she cleared her throat, sensing she had a long story ahead of her. "The Grand Tourney began with a test of strength in combat with the combatant's chosen area of skill, from archery to knife-throwing to swordplay. Obviously, I chose swordplay as my strength of choice…" Kassandra explained before she launched into the detailed recollection of the Grand Tourney. She described her harrowing one-on-one duals with some of the most skilled fighters she has ever known and the tests of strength that initially eliminated ten of the fifty from the tournament. She talked in depth about the difficulty maintaining the mute charade and keeping her identity as the noble daughter of House Trevelyan unknown to all involved. She faked letters to her family while she steadily rose in the tournaments and captured attention as the most enigmatic fighter in the tourney. Nearly half an hour passed, and Kassandra was winding up toward the end of her tale.

"So, what happened next?" Bull remarked with his attentive gaze fixated on Kassandra. Truly, the entire group was spellbound by the story, but it seemed that Cassandra, Bull, and Blackwall enjoyed it the most. Cole made profound musings throughout and Vivienne would occasionally remark about Kassandra's grace throughout the tournament. Solas found the idea and history of the tournament interesting while Sera eagerly awaited the stuck-up nobles to get what was coming to them. As for Varric, he was furiously scribbling down notes while muttering how he "couldn't write this shit better". Kassandra relished in her companions' reactions with a half-smile curling her lips upwards and making her eyes twinkle. She leaned closer to the fire and resumed her story.

"There were only two warriors left: Tiberius the Unquenchable and me. Honestly, the odds did not seem in my favor. Tiberius was known throughout the lands for his bloodthirsty reputation and his weapon of choice was a double handed war hammer. He was easily twice my size and I swear he was a human that gave off Qunari vibes." Kassandra described with animated gestures, somehow retaining the energy from the beginning consistently. "Tiberius hardly waited for the battle to begin before charging and me and swinging madly. If I wasn't agile or wearing lightweight armor, he would've taken my head clean off my shoulders. I spend much of the battle on the defensive and trying to keep out of his range. Tiberius was a fighter who tapped into blind rage for unbridled strength. However, strategy would be my forte and advantage. Attached to my belt, I had a dagger that I used for throwing back home. I sheathed my sword, which shocked the crowd and made Tiberius laugh, and plucked the dagger from my belt. While Tiberius was distracted with boasting and raising his hammer, I threw the dagger with full force and it embedded in the flesh of his arm. He roared with pain and gripped at his arm. I utilized his distracted state and rolled between his legs, ending up behind him. I unsheathed my sword and then proceeded to stab him through the backs of both knees. Tiberius crumpled in pain and lowered his height, which allowed me to press by bloodied blade against his neck and I whispered a reminder that hubris might kill him some day."

"Outstanding!" Bull released a booming, pleased cheer loud enough to startle nearby creatures lurking in the brush and probably loud resonate enough to echo over to where the scouts were stationed for the night on the outskirts of the camp and surrounding the inner circle's tents.

"So, you won?" Varric inquired, more for confirmation that he correctly predicted the outcome before Kassandra reached that point in her retelling of the story. He glanced up from his paper to see the quirk of Kassandra's brow that told him everything he needed to know.

"I did. The master of ceremonies rushed down to the floor of the arena and raised my arm above my head in the universal sign of victory. They rushed Tiberius off the field to patch up his injuries and his ego, which was damaged most of all. I stood at the mercy of the crowd's fanatical and thunderous approval for a match won valiantly. I can remember this man, with a wide face and beady eyes, as the master of ceremonies and how he lumbered over to me. He said 'Good ser! Tell us your name and accept this token of championship' as he handed me the sword. I figured that was a good of time as any to reveal that I, a woman, won the whole tournament." Kassandra admitted with a half-lidded smile and she suppressed a fit of laughter related to the events that subsequently followed. "So, I turned to the man and removed my helmet. I shook out my long hair and grinned victoriously as a gasp went throughout the whole crowd. I hollered, 'You must mean fair lady, good ser!' and waited for the astonished crowd to regain their bearings. There hadn't been a female victor in years… if ever."

"Hah! That must've thrown them all." Blackwall snorted and slapped his knee, losing some of the contents from his mug. Kassandra was glad he shared in her amusement and the others could see the pride shimmering in Kassandra's eyes about it.

"Oh, it did. I think for a solid minute there was absolute stillness throughout the arena. Up in their box, I spotted Florence and Iva fuming and I would wager there was physical steam pouring from their ears. There were some members of my extended family who appeared on the verge of fainting due to utter shock. The silence was broken by my two obnoxious, but loveable brothers. They just started whooping and cheering to where the whole arena could hear them. My grandmother, the Trevelyan matriarch, stood up too and started cheering for me. Soon enough, the whole arena followed suit and I gave a bow, directing my smirk toward Florence and Iva. I turned to the master of ceremony and informed him that I would like the prize money to be donated to renovating the city and helping the needy within Ostwick before sauntering off with my newly won sword. Ironically, the biggest result from the whole ordeal was my marriage prospects nearly doubled to the ire of my other family. And that is the time I won the Grand Tourney." Kassandra concluded with a flourished bow and the group around the fire started whistling and clapping.

"Now, that was a story and I do it for a living." Varric clapped Kassandra's shoulder as he stood up and passed by her to fetch more parchment. For a moment, the only noise in the camp was the soothing combination of Varric's faint rustling through his tent and the crackle of the tamed flames. He grinned as he reclaimed his seat and glanced around at the others, "Which brave soul among us shall go next?"

"Oh, I suppose I might indulge a tale." Vivienne chimed in and she set her empty cup of evening tea down beside her. She adjusted her posture, elegant and practiced. She suppressed a clipped laugh when recalling the events of the story she decided to share. Vivienne wore a half smile on her lips when she began, "Nearly three years ago, I was invited to the Winter Palace by Celene Valmont..." Vivienne went on to describe a rather amusing tale involving tea with now Empress Celene, a nobleman's knickers, and a stampede of the Imperial mounts through the Winter Palace. Sitting around the fire and watching the embers flit higher into the sky, Kassandra and her companions laughed the night away with plenty of stories around the fire to keep the good times going. Kassandra stared off into the distant horizon and studied the stars twinkling across the sky while the group laughed on. Somewhere across the Frostback Basin, the Templars awaited her back in Haven for her return to seal the Breach for good. But her impending quest was a million miles away tonight and Kassandra was content to live in the moment, this moment with her newfound friends.


	16. XVI: The Herald's Last Stand

XVI: The Herald's Last Stand

The snowy refuge of Haven was alive with celebration, like what Haven might have been like before the Conclave. Several of the townspeople were dancing around the fire with genuine cheer; they were dancing, drinking, singing, and making merry.

Standing on a ledge overlooking the celebration, Kassandra observed the sight with the ghost of a smile but refrained from celebrating. Something inside of her kept her back from joining in with the jovial townspeople at the cleared sky. Her stormy azure eyes scoured the snow-speckled evening sky with some fleeting interest, and she sighed, weighed down by the flurry of questions that cropped up with the Inquisition's purpose met. She heard the faint crunch of snowfall behind her, assuming one of her companions desired to speak with her. Occupying the space next to her was none other than Cassandra, who stood beside her in the silence. Kassandra could tell that she, too, was bogged with the questions lingering in the wake of the Breach's sealing.

Solas confirms the heavens are scarred but calm. The Breach is sealed. We've reports of lingering rifts, and many questions remain, but this was a victory. Word of your heroism has spread." Cassandra informed and gazed over at her companion, who seemed nonplussed by her attribution of their victory to her. Kassandra hardly considered herself the sole hero who emerged from this chapter in Thedas. She may be the most spoken about, but her inner circle and advisory companions and the everyday men and women who assisted the Inquisition were just as many heroes as she was.

"You know how many were involved. Luck put me at the center." Kassandra declared, and she stared off into the distance, recalling the whirlwind events of the past few hours. She closed her eyes and sighed. Was luck truly the words to describe her involvement, or was something greater at play than mere luck as her faith would suggest? Either way, the credit was not hers alone.

* * *

 _Standing among the floating debris and scorched earth near the Breach, Kassandra examined her mark absentmindedly, and she observed the frightening pulse of power flickering through her veins from the proximity of a rift. Her hand poured forth a sphere of energy surrounding it, and she clenched her fist with a sigh, shutting the light away. The moment of reckoning had arrived for the Inquisition, and everything Kassandra had done in its name led to this… Either the Breach would be sealed, or she would die trying. Around her, all the troops deployed for this mission scrambled to their positions at various spots in the ruins. For the moment, she was responsible for only her racing thoughts and unsettled nerves._

 _"The elite of the Templars are ready, Herald." Cullen informed Kassandra, standing off to her right with his hands tucked behind him in modified parade rest. He briefed his men alongside the Templars before the mission about their goals and their duty to rally behind the Herald. Kassandra nodded imperceptibly, and Cullen started to leave when her voice stopped him._

 _"Commander, a moment?" Kassandra inquired so softly that Cullen nearly missed it at first, but the imploring gleam in her eyes kept him firmly rooted beside her. Gazing into her eyes, Cullen could clearly see she was distressed by something by the way her eyes would dart between him and the Breach looming above. She seemed…determined, above all else. A faint gust swept through the ruins of the Temple of Sacred Ashes and rustled through Kassandra's loose brunette locks. She appeared unmoved by the hustle and bustle of those around her, seemingly in her own little world._

 _"You seem troubled." Cullen remarked, and Kassandra bit down on her lower lip, wondering if she truly was that obvious or if Cullen had a good read on her. She turned her face away from Cullen to where the profile is what greeted him._

 _"Most people would be when staring down a giant, evil hole in the sky." She replied with a halfhearted levity to her voice, which was betrayed by the slight tremble toward the end of her statement. Kassandra cleared her throat, and she fiddled with her sword in its scabbard, a frequent nervous habit of hers. "If the Maker wills this to mark my end, I need to know I have wishes that will be carried out. In my room at Haven, there is a letter on the dresser. It is addressed to my family. Please ensure that it is sent if I meet my untimely demise."_

 _"Herald, I-" Cullen found himself in a state of shock. She wanted him to enact her wishes should she… no, it was too uncomfortable to think about. Cullen swallowed roughly for his throat dried, and he couldn't figure out what to say._

 _"Cullen, please…" Kassandra pleaded quietly, not wanting to make a scene but needed to convey the urgency of her desires. She didn't enjoy focusing on the morbid possibility that these were her final moments before meeting the Maker. However, she could not frolic around like everything was guaranteed to be fine. The last time she made that mistake was at the Divine Conclave, and she would never make such an egregious error in judgment again; that Kassandra swore with her life._

 _"It shall be done," Cullen promised Kassandra resolutely, and he noted the relief flooding her eyes when he assured that someone would respect her wishes. He struggled to express his belief that the Maker would deliver her through as he did at Therinfal for the words couldn't seem to properly string together without making him feel like a bumbling fool. His chance to say anything was abruptly ended when Lady Cassandra and Solas approached and stood beside Kassandra. Cullen backed away and gave them space to speak._

 _Kassandra turned to her companions, who she met at the not-so-distant beginning of this adventure and fought by her side through some of the worst things she had ever seen. She gave them nods, indicating her respect for them and their time together. Cassandra drew to attention, and she exchanged a Fereldan salute with her namesake and fellow noblewoman, whose blue eyes shone with understanding. Solas pat Kassandra on the shoulder; he knew her strength would carry her through far more than she might anticipate._

 _"Templars!" Cassandra bellowed, catching the attention of the rows of templars surrounding the balcony behind Kassandra. They were formed up and at the ready for the command. Seeker Pentaghast and Solas stepped away from Kassandra, leaving her standing between the land she loved, the Breach, and the undetermined course of her future._

 _"Focus past the Herald! Let her will draw from you!" Solas declared to the templars, raising his staff in the air and gesturing toward Kassandra boldly marching into the pile of ash where her whole life changed. Her hand was lifted into the air, and Fade energy radiated from her fingers. She gritted her jaw and expelled some energy into the Rift and drawing it into her with a powerful slash of her hand. The otherworldly and hellish energy of the Fade struggled against Kassandra's onslaught as if it were sentient and alive. Behind her stood the Templars with their swords at the ready, and the first one screamed as they impaled their sword through the ground and kneeled. Light seeped out of the ground, and an aura of holy protection filtered in to reclaim this spot of tragedy as one for the Maker's glory. Those stationed along the balcony followed their lead and stabbed their blades into the rubble and ash to summon the light. Somehow, Kassandra could feel the power of the cleansing spell channeling through her and rushing through her veins. The bitterly cold wind around her picked up, and she could sense a storm oncoming._

 _Kassandra steeled her resolve and forged her way through the layers of light that maintained the tangibility of heavy fog. Her mark thudded and ached with the proximity once more, causing a sharp pain to permeate her whole body. Kassandra reached the center, and she stood below the rift, not glancing up at it. The memory of it would forever be seared into her mind. She wordlessly lifted her arm to the sky, and a tether of energy leaped from her fingertips and contacted the rift. Thunder roared across the sky, and all those spectating gasped with shock._

 _Kassandra gripped her raised arm with her free hand and let out a starting, fear-inducing scream that belonged as a war cry no less. She squeezed her eyes shut momentarily, and when they opened once more, several onlookers gasped and swore to the Maker they were inhumanly glowing as solid green as the Fade itself. The next minute, the glow was gone as an explosion of light rippled across the formerly hallowed grounds and bathed all present in a forceful energy that threw them backward. Several groans could be heard in the aftermath when the light died down, and Cassandra Pentaghast, Solas, and Commander Cullen staggered to their feet._

 _Their eyes scoured for Kassandra and wondered if the blast threw her back as well from her position at the epicenter… or Maker forbid, she did not survive the blast the second time around. Their fears were assuaged, however, when they spotted Kassandra—still standing tall and with her glowing hand pointed upwards at the sky. There was no Breach in sight; The Inquisition was victorious._

 _"You did it." Cassandra breathed out with unfathomable awe. She knew that Kassandra was capable, and yet the sight of the healed sky made her gape unabashedly. A cheer rose up among the Inquisition soldiers and Templars witness to the downright divine act of banishing the Breach. The soldiers flooded the field and surrounded Kassandra, who exhaustedly clutched at her shoulder. She was breathing hard but couldn't help the smile that twitched at her lips. Cullen pushed his way through the soldiers and rushed over to her, giving her a hand. Using the Commander for support, Kassandra and the soldiers began their return to Haven with a celebration on the mind of all parties involved._

 _Thedas was saved by the Herald of Andraste's blessed touch._

* * *

"A strange kind of luck. I'm not sure if we need more or less. But you're right. This was a victory of alliance, one of the few in recent memory. With the Breach closed, that alliance will need new focus." Cassandra remarked, but something in the distance caught her eye. Kassandra's head whipped toward the mountains located southeast of Haven, and the faint marching of what reminded her of troops caught her notice. Her heartbeat started beating faster when the noise grew too loud to write off, and several bells chimed in a warning. An army was converging on Haven; this meant war.

"Forces approaching! To arms!" Cullen ordered, and he raced toward the gate, rallying his men to action. Meanwhile, all the townspeople gasped in fear and shock. They believed the threat to be over, and now, an army was marching on Haven. Kassandra's mind immediately snapped into battle mode, and an unmistakable, deathly calm stillness settled over Kassandra's mind. She needed to keep a level head or the chaos threatened to consume her.

"What the…? We must get to the gates!" Cassandra exclaimed, drawing her sword from its scabbard. Kassandra gripped the hilt of hers without drawing it, and the two warriors sprinted for the gates of Haven. Across the way, Kassandra spotted Josephine and Leliana hurtling toward the gates as well. All four converged on Cullen, who was barking orders and delegating tasks to his men. He turned to face his compatriots, running his fingers through his hair nervously. Cassandra glanced at him, and she wanted answers, "Cullen?"

"One watchguard reporting. It's a massive force. The bulk over the mountains." Cullen informed, and the frustration was written all over his face. At that moment, the Commander side emerged, and he silently directed his men into strategic positions. He pointed to the mountains in the distance, and Kassandra could hear them.

"Under what banner?" Josephine questioned fearfully, wondering what force could amass such numbers. The Seekers of Truth? The mages? Besides a limited number of groups, none of the gathered Inquisition leadership could think of a group or even a motivation for the threat facing them now.

"None." Cullen declared simply, and the group felt the breath knocked out of them. That simply was not possible, yet there they were. The Inquisition was faced with an unknown, approaching force with no idea who or what motivated them to arms.

"None?" Josephine echoed in shock, not quite comprehending the statement. A force without a banner was practically unheard of. Kassandra felt greatly unsettled, and even worse, she had a sickly gut feeling that she knew exactly who was commanding that incoming army. Her head whipped in the direction of the mountains to catch some sight of what she suspected when a burst of fire rocked against the gates standing between Haven and the army, snagging Kassandra's attention right away.

"If someone could open this, I'd appreciate it!" A voice shouted from the other side, and it was one Kassandra recognized right away with a memory of Redcliffe and time rifts emerging. She darted towards the double doors and shoved them open to reveal none other than Dorian, as she suspected, rising from a circle of bodies. She and Cullen, the quickest of the group to react, sprinted out of Haven's protective walls and approached Dorian. Cullen was armed with his sword unsheathed, but a simple gesture from Kassandra eased him to sheath the blade. Dorian noticed his request heeded and nodded, "Ah, I'm here to warn you. Fashionably late, I'm afraid. Dorian remarked before stumbling and nearly collapsing into Cullen's arms, the commander catching him before he unceremoniously hit the ground.

"Dorian!" Dorian pushed back onto his feet and out of Cullen's grasp. He leaned on his staff for support while he regained his bearings in the wake of exerting so much effort and mana. He had come all this way to warn the Herald, and he had no intentions of fainting.

"Mite exhausted. Don't mind me." Dorian shrugged Kassandra's concern off, and he focused on her specifically between her and Cullen. "There you are! I came to tell you what happened with the mages at Redcliffe. You're not going to like it. They are under the command of the Venatori, in service to something called 'The Elder One.' The woman is Calpernia. She commands the Venatori, for that… Elder One." Kassandra felt her skin crawl upon her worst fears being confirmed. The Elder One marched on Haven, but for what, she didn't understand. Her eyes followed to where Dorian pointed and took her first glimpse of the Elder One.

"Maker…" Cullen breathed out, and Kassandra heard the horror simmering in her heart echoed in Cullen's unmasked shock. From where she stood, Kassandra could only see the remnants of charred flesh and bones. The Elder One was nowhere near human, that much was obvious.

"They were already marching on Haven. I risked my life to get here first!" Dorian explained to Kassandra, who waved him toward the gate. He earned a place behind the safety of Haven's walls and refuge there. He risked so much to warn the Inquisition, and that action earned him immense respect in Kassandra's eyes. The Inquisition owed him a great debt for failing to act on his concern about the mages and his heroism. But they would figure that out later when the impending threat was handled.

"Cullen, give me a plan. Anything!" Kassandra turned to Cullen beside her, eyes wide and wild with fear. Cullen would recognize that look anywhere, painfully reminding him of the young man lost at Kinloch that once belonged to him. Kassandra had never faced something of this magnitude, and her usually alert mind felt barren of ideas, which scared her more than staring the Elder One down.

"Haven is no fortress. If we are to withstand this monster, we must control the battle. Get out there and hit that force. Use everything you can." Cullen directed Kassandra, and his hand settled on the shoulder of her armor. Kassandra nodded, and her hand briefly settled on top of his—seeking some form of solace—before pulling away, and Cullen did too, seeing her as his cue to give her space. He tugged his sword free and brandished the blade in the low light of the winter night as he marched to the soldiers steadily spilling from the opened gates. They lined up and awaited the orders of their commander, a man who they trusted to lead them to survival. "Soldiers! Gather the villagers! Fortify and watch for advance forces! Inquisition! With the Herald! For your lives! For all of us!" Cullen roared, and his words stirred the soldiers to action. They released a unified war cry at his command and raced to surround Kassandra. Through the gates, Solas and Varric raced out with Cassandra flanking the rear. With their armor suited and weapons at the ready, the soldiers parted a path to Kassandra, and her companions joined her at the front of their small army.

The soldiers dispersed without another moment to lose, arming the nearest trebuchet and firing a volley of ammunition directly into the army marching. Kassandra overheard a voice remark that the other trebuchet wasn't firing to a group of soldiers, and she jumped at the chance to help. Leading the way, Kassandra raced down the path past the stables and blacksmith to the trebuchet in question. Along the way, she spotted several of the enemy scouts waiting up ahead. Kassandra assumed these were the Venatori Dorian mentioned at the gates. Racing ahead, Kassandra sliced through the enemy warriors with efficiency and brutality—leaving the snow stained with blood. Reinforcements were bound to come, but Kassandra's focus lay with starting the trebuchet. When her small group approached the newly cleared trebuchet, Kassandra leaped onto the platform and started turning the jammed mechanism to start the machine up. She knew that her companions had her back secured. With as much strength as she could muster, Kassandra cranked the wheel and cranked until she heard the click of the trebuchet locking into place. Glancing up, Kassandra watched a flaming projectile fling from their side of the battle and crash into the mountain in a fiery blaze of glory. A successful hit, which created a massive rush of snow to cascade down and crushes the army. That singular move wiped the enemy force off its feet, and a massive cheer raised up from the Inquisition soldiers. Had they won?

However, the celebration did not last long when a burst of concentrated flame destroyed the trebuchet in a single hit. Kassandra's eyes widened when she spotted the winged fiend diving past the wreckage and roaring with fury.

"We can't face it here! We have to… do something." Cassandra stated, and everyone turned to Kassandra for a course of action, defaulting to her leadership, which had worked numerous times before this moment. In such dire straits, the soldiers and inner circle knew they could trust her decision-making.

"Everyone to the gates." Kassandra declared firmly, and the group sprinted through the snow and ashes toward Haven's gates. In the meanwhile, Kassandra's eyes cautiously kept tabs on the dragon soaring above the battlefield and waited for the monstrosity to make its next move. The flap of its wings reverberated like thunderclaps and sent a spike of terror piercing Kassandra down to her core. Not enough to paralyze her, but enough to make her doubt the chances of the Inquisition to make it out. She refused to believe her story ended here, and her brain scoured for ideas on how to turn the battle back around.

When almost at the gate, she noticed Harrit struggling to move crates blocking his door and gestured at Cassandra to act. The Seeker slammed her shield into the crates with enough force to crack the crates into fragments and splinters. The group continued their race to the gates, where she spotted Cullen ushering in people to safety. Her legs were screaming, but she pushed herself to move quicker, sprinting toward the gates like a blur.

"Move it! Move it!" Cullen directed, and as soon as Solas crossed the threshold of the gate, he tugged the heavy gate shut. The dragon circled above Haven menacingly and shrieked in a taunt. Kassandra waited for Cullen, not content with leaving him behind while her companions forged ahead. Cullen turned around and met Kassandra's eyes. The two were breathing hard, and neither expected a massive twist to arise. "We need everyone back to the Chantry! It's the only building that might stand against… that beast! At this point, just make them work for it."

"Let's get people to safety." Kassandra agreed, and she pleaded with Cullen to remain by her side, which he hardly needed convincing. Together, the two sprinted up from the barren stall that once belonged to the various town merchants. Kassandra bounded up the stairs with Cullen not far behind her, both taking in the scene of Haven on fire. Hearing cries of pain coming to her left, Kassandra careened toward one of the houses and noticed the barricaded door yet the open holes of the roof. She shimmied up the ladder with surprising speed and walked across a narrow beam before dropping into the burning building. Blinking, Kassandra looked around for the source of the pain.

She found Argent, one of Leliana's agents, curled into himself on the floor of the burning building. He appeared to be cradling his leg, and his face was contorted in pain. He mumbled incoherently to Kassandra when he noticed her presence, his clarity obstructed by his slurring of words. Kassandra cast a wary glance at the building and knew that the longer she waited, the narrower their escape became. Kassandra helped Argent to sit up while she spotted their exit, which was likely stuck from what she noted on the outside. Pulling out her shield, Kass braced herself and slammed her full weight against the door, and the old wooden door creaked off its hinges, opening a path out of danger. Kass ducked her body under Argent's arm and helped him to his feet, limping toward the door.

Meanwhile, Cullen planned to wait for Kassandra in case she required him, but he overheard cries from the Singing Maiden. The building was enraptured in flames, and the structure moaned with threats of impending collapse. The door was luckily open already, and he noticed Flissa nearly unconscious in a ring of flames. Closing his eyes and drawing in a breath, Cullen whispered a quick prayer and sprinted through the flames. He scooped Flissa, who weighed nothing, into his arms and escaped out the side door where the flames had yet to reach. He looped around the side and released the breath he held back when he came into view of Kassandra. She carried Argent largely on her own. Flissa groaned and started coming to, which relieved Cullen. Argent appeared to be awake and mostly unharmed, except for the way he protected his right leg. Kassandra met Cullen's eyes, and he noticed her relief, that which matched his own. They met in the middle, and Kassandra turned to Argent, surveying his injuries.

"Can you make it to the Chantry?" Kassandra questioned with prominent concern for these two. She may not know every name of those in the Inquisition, but she cared about them. Kassandra stared at the gate a little ways away, and a small part of her blamed herself for the attack on Haven.

"We'll make it. I'll limp there, but I've got her." Argent promised as Cullen gently set Flissa down from over his shoulder, and she was taken by Argent. Together, the two of them limped toward the Chantry and were escorted by one of the soldiers who had stumbled back that way.

"There has to be more," Cullen remarked and shielded his eyes from the blazes growing higher across Haven. Kassandra agreed with that assessment, and her eyes darted around with the intent to find any stragglers in the vicinity. She and Cullen would have to sweep the whole town before they reached the Chantry's sheltering walls to strategize. But she would be failing those who counted on her to cower and leave someone behind in her rush to safety. They raced up the stairs and headed toward the east of Haven, where the apothecary building stood upon hearing cries for help. Their boots crunched through the ash-coated snow, and Kassandra's breath floated around her head, in sharp contrast to the ash and embers descending from the sky like a cruel torrent of hellish rain. Kassandra's eyes widened when she noticed the overtures of cannon powder and oil, the crude ingredients key for crafting explosions. Panic leaped into her throat and sent her pulse skidding into a dizzying rate. Kassandra wanted to keel over, the powder and oil making her head spin and nauseous.

"Cullen, this is rigged to blow!" Kassandra exclaimed, and Cullen nodded, recognizing the danger Kassandra had picked up on. He knew it from years of being a soldier but wondered where Kassandra became closely acquainted with the objects that proceeded death. Kassandra spotted Minave tucked partially behind a cart while Adan's voice carried from the opposite side of the twisted field. Cullen, for a man of his stature, nimbly dodged through the carts of explosives while Kassandra sprinted toward Minave, cautious to avoid the black powder split all over the ground. She managed to snatch a few untouched explosives along the way, and she pulled out her spare blade, a small dagger gifted to her by her older brothers, and worked on slicing through the rope. Minave whimpered in some relief upon Kassandra's arrival and determination to free her of her bindings. Kassandra worked through the ropes one by one while avoiding slicing her hand open out of pure recklessness. She might be in a hurry, but caution remained at the forefront. As the last rope snapped, Kassandra tugged Minave out of danger by her slender wrist and shielded the smaller woman with her body and shield strapped to her back. As for Cullen, he managed to clear the ropes holding Adan down and offered the apothecary's assistant a hand. He pulled Adan from the blast, and the two men cleared enough room between them as the blast went off, detonating the handmade bombs and causing an explosion of wood splinters and fire. With no injuries sustained, Minave and Adan sprinted toward the Chantry after mumbling several groveling thank yous to the Herald of Andraste and the Commander. Kassandra and Cullen shared a look when Kassandra knelt down and pulled a sharpened piece of wood from the fire. She had half a mind to slam the Elder One's head on that pike right about then.

With the Chantry in the near distance, Kassandra and Cullen assumed they were in the clear when they noticed Quartermaster Therin backing toward her tent as a pack of foul demons and Venatori crawled through the edge of the forest from the shadows. Kassandra and Cullen hastened their pace toward the situation to where Kassandra was sprinting with Cullen right on her heels. Tugging at her belt, Kassandra produced an ornate dagger with stunning leatherwork and a precious gemstone embedded into the hilt from what Cullen could see before Kassandra flung it with precision and ferocity. The dagger planted in the center of a demon's forehead and a flurry of screeches were heard from the remaining creatures at the swift execution of their comrade. Kassandra hardly flinched as she raced toward the fallen demon and forcibly removed the dagger from the corpse by planting her boot against its neck and jerking the dagger from the flesh with a sickening squelch. The bloodied blade in hand, Kassandra glared at the approaching demons and turned to Quartermaster Therin.

"I've got this! Go!" Kassandra barked, and Cullen covered Therin so she could make her dash to the Chantry. Kassandra stared down the demon slithering closer to her, and in an instant, she was launching herself at the demon. It hardly stood a chance as Kassandra brought her sword crashing down and sliced its neck wide open. The demon dropped to the ground, and Kassandra whirled around, "To your right!" She declared, alerting Cullen to the demon running upon his right. Cullen nodded resolutely, and he turned to fight off the demon. Between the two of them, Kassandra and Cullen dispatched the Venatori, who managed to slip through the gates. Barely up ahead, Cullen and Kassandra swiftly rushed for the double doors of the Chantry when they flew open, and a clearly injured Chancellor Roderick leaned against the door and waved fleeing townspeople into the sanctuary that was Haven's Chantry.

"Move! Keep going! The Chantry is your shelter." He wheezed out when Kassandra and Cullen reached the open doors of the Chantry. They ducked inside and barely stepped inside when Roderick collapsed into the arms of Dorian, hovering behind him. Kassandra turned on her heel and witness the sight, noting the various wounds he sported.

"A brave man. He stood against a Venatori." Dorian explained, and Kassandra tempered her less than appropriate reaction to the word 'brave' to describe a man like Roderick, who meddled with the Inquisition in its early days for his own political gain. She kept quiet instead.

"Briefly. I am no Templar." Roderick coughed out, and his eyes glanced at Cullen for a moment after he uttered those words. Kassandra heard a gruff sigh come from beside her and knew that Cullen observed that gesture as well. As Dorian escorted Roderick to an empty chair, Cullen turned to Kassandra and signaled her close.

"Herald, our position is not good. That dragon stole back any time you might have earned us. There has been no communication, no demands. Only advance after advance." Cullen declared, and Kassandra wanted to curse loudly, but she bit back her frustration. Seeing that dragon soaring above the scene of the Inquisition's fleeting victory told Kassandra that this was a battle that victory would be hard-pressed to achieve. Kassandra mulled over that information and suppressed a groan. That information gave her no useful insight into the reasons of the Elder One for marching on Haven with an enemy force and a dragon that threatened to raze the simple town to the ground in flames.

"There was no bargaining with the mages, either. This Elder One takes what it wants. From what I gathered in Redcliffe, it marched all this way to take your Herald." Dorian declared, and all listening eyes focused in on Kassandra, who stifled the spike of fear bubbling in her throat that desired to morph into a scream. Her? Apart from her mark, Kassandra could hardly see why this creature desired her to the point that they would raze Haven to the ground.

"If you have any idea why he's after me, I'm all ears." Kassandra started and she hoped that there might be a potential solution hidden somewhere in the Elder One's motivations, one other than what she suspected deep down. She opened her forcibly closed fist to gaze upon her mark, considering the likelihood that her strange powers were the reason the Elder One sought her. And for what purpose? Kassandra assumed that he wanted her dead.

"Besides taking the templars, I've no idea what would incur this much wrath. And such a promising start with the landslide. If only trebuchets remained an option." Dorian bitterly chuckled, but something in his statement tugged at Kassandra. She glanced at Cullen when she noticed him bristle in her peripheral vision, suspecting that an idea came to him.

"They are if we turn them to the last of the mountains above us," Cullen suggested solemnly, and a silence lapsed between him and Kassandra as she mulled over his suggestion. Bold but one fatal flaw lay with the plan, a glaring issue.

We're overrun. To hit the enemy, we'd bury Haven." Kassandra remarked, her eyes flickering up from the ground and her stomach dropping into a black abyss within her. Is this what their options came down to? Death no matter what outcome? The Breach should have been the end of this, but the Maker had other plans. Cullen noticed the conflicted expression painted on Kassandra's face, and he understood her hesitance, for he felt as she did inside. With what little choices they had left, this seemed the best possible option.

"This is not survivable now. The only choice left is how spitefully we end this." Cullen explained, and Kassandra knew that Cullen was right. The situation before them was not survivable, and she had no illusions that the Elder One would spare the others once he had what he wanted from her.

"Well, that's not acceptable. I didn't race here only to have you drop rocks on my head." Dorian interrupted Kassandra and Cullen strategy conversation or whispered debate as it ended up. Kassandra didn't necessarily disagree with Cullen's assessment, but she needed to know if it was the best possible outcome. Dorian strode over and inserted himself into the conversation with arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

"Should we submit? Let him kill us?" Cullen questioned, clearly agitated by the time wasted with squabbling when their time was running out, and there were limited viable options for tackling the seemingly insurmountable evil looming over Haven. Dorian scoffed at Cullen's anger, seeing the emotions slipping through as a weakness to keep composure on Cullen's part.

"Dying is typically a last resort, not first. For a Templar, you think like a blood mage." Dorian accused, and Cullen grit his jaw, his face turning pale with a fit of silent anger directed at that comment. Both men were adamant about their opinions on the matter, but Kassandra knew time was escaping them, and that was a borrowed luxury. Instead of bickering, they should capitalize on what little advantage they have left.

"There is a path. You wouldn't know it was there unless you'd made the summer pilgrimage, as I have. The people can escape. She must have shown me. Andraste must have shown me so I could… tell you." Roderick interrupted softly and weakly pulled himself from his chair as Kassandra approached him. Her stormy blue eyes studied Roderick without a trace of detectable emotion, making her unreadable. Picking up on the hushed whispers of the frightened townspeople, Kassandra felt her throat constrict as she settled on a decision. She had a choice, and she made it.

"What about it, Cullen? Will it work?" Kassandra questioned, turning to him. Cullen could see the gears turning in Kassandra's mind while his own ruminated over Roderick's suggestion. That solution was better than burying them all alive, but someone needed to stay behind to fire the trebuchet at the mountain looming behind Haven. Cullen glanced at Kassandra, understanding that she was considering dealing a blow to the Elder One. But there was one question nagging at Cullen to be answered.

"Possibly. If he shows us the path…And when the mountain falls, what about you?" Cullen questioned, needing to know the answer. Kassandra's tongue stiffened and grew heavy like a block of iron. The silence was equivalent to a dagger piercing Cullen through the chest; he couldn't breathe. Kassandra glanced down and off to the side with her eyes threatening to spill over with tears; she cannot even look Cullen in the eyes for she knew her bearing would crumble like ashes. Cullen paced away from her, and he felt like punching the nearest wall but knew losing control of his temper would only worsen things. He clutched the side of his head, and his amber eyes flickered up to the sky, wondering if this was a test. His stomach curled into several tightly wound knots, and Cullen couldn't stop imaging Kassandra standing alone against an army. "Perhaps you can surprise it?" He weakly offered, trying to create some solace for her and himself.

"Cullen…" Kassandra brokenly whispered, and Cullen could tell she was dead set on her course of action. Their eyes met, stormy azure and molten amber, for what might be the last time. There were so many things left unsaid between the two of them, but neither had the courage to start the conversation. Which meant, those things would be left unsaid.

"Inquisition! Follow Chancellor Roderick through the Chantry! Move!" Cullen's voice boomed against the narrow walls and permeated the space. The townspeople and soldiers obeyed his orders without hesitation, sensing the anger simmering beneath. He was the image of composure, but the fury at the turn of events and Kassandra's insistence that she stay behind turned his frustration into more.

"Herald, if you are meant for this—if the Inquisition is meant for this, I pray for you." Chancellor Roderick remarked while Dorian assisted him in limping toward the exit where he would guide the Inquisition to safety. Kassandra glanced over her shoulder, and her heart skipped a beat when Cullen strode back over with his expression composed.

"They'll load the trebuchets. Keep the Elder One's attention until we're above the tree line. If we are to have a chance—if you are to have a chance, let that thing hear you." Cullen explained, and Kassandra nodded, heading his information. He started to walk away, and she didn't want those words to be the last they spoke to each other. Cullen hesitated for a moment, and Kassandra felt a sliver of hope that Cullen might feel the same. That hope was dashed when Cullen ran to the other side of the Chantry to help with the evacuation. While Cullen and Dorian helped with the evacuation of townspeople and the soldiers packed into the back of the Chantry, Kassandra saw her companions walking toward her. She supposed they hadn't heard her plan that implied what was to come. They were prepared for a fight, and Kassandra knew that this was something she would do alone. No one else would endanger their life on such a risk but her. She was honored to meet such brave individuals, even if they didn't consider themselves in that regard. When Cassandra started to reach for her sword, Kassandra shook her head and stopped her from doing so, a forlorn smile betraying the brave face she wanted to display. Cassandra appeared confused by the action, but Varric already knew where this was going from the gleam in Kassandra's eyes, much to his dismay.

"It's been an honor fighting by your side," Kassandra remarked, barely keeping the emotion out of her voice after her exchange with Cullen left her heart in tatters. Solas nodded sagely, and he frowned, patting Kassandra's shoulder and giving her the space she requested without a fight. Cassandra tried to protest and that she couldn't run while Kassandra faced the danger alone, but Varric stopped her with a hand on her arm for her shoulder was out of reach.

"Seeker, she won't be dissuaded." Varric stated, and Kassandra could hear the hitch in his throat and realized that he was choked up. Guilt simmered in her stomach, but she tucked it away; she needed to do this. Varric studied Kassandra's ironclad determination and glanced down at his feet. He needed to let her go without a fight. He promised himself that he would stop growing attached to those with the makings of tragic heroes, but she reminded him of the Champion a little too much. "You know why I call you Lioness? That's because you are the fiercest, most loyal, and justifiably proudest warrior I have met in my adventures—enemies cower at your roar. It has been an honor, Kassandra. Give them hell."

"I'd do no less." Kassandra promised, and she pulled out her sword from its scabbard and cast a fierce glare at the doorway. She would give the Elder One hell alright… a scathing serving of revenge that he would never forget. Her companions backed away from her and followed the mass exodus of people fleeing through the mountain pass under Chancellor Roderick's instruction. The Chantry was eerily and forlornly silent with Kassandra standing alone in the small, wooden interior. She blinked back the tears in her eyes, but several rolled down her cheeks. "If this is the end, please… don't forget me." Kassandra whispered to no one, and she burst through the Chantry doors, the scent of oil, blood, and ash assaulting her and making her cough. She dispatched her shield from her back and sprinted through the destroyed camp of Haven with anger pushing her through.

In the light of fires, Kassandra simmered with wrath. The flames licked at her skin, and the sulfuric heat threatened to choke her with chunks of blackened smoke, but she never flinched. She marched through the wreckage of the quaint village she grew to love. There were infernos in her eyes and a blade pleading for the taste of spilled blood. As the seconds passed, anger consumed her mind until all she could see was red. Any demons unfortunate to cross her path or who attempted to engage her ended up as a lifeless corpse abandoned in the tainted snow. Haven was burning, and Kassandra was out to settle the score with the Elder One. She dodged around a pack of Venatori by sidling along the side of a building and using the smoke rising above Haven as a protective screen.

Encountering a horde of Venatori blocking the main gate, Kassandra came to a screeching halt. The enemy warriors noticed her and crept closer to her with their weapons drawn. Kassandra's eyes darted around, and she spotted a nearby lantern filled with oil creaking nearby and remembered the few firebombs she stashed into her pocket. A cunning plan disrupted her narrowly-focused fight instincts, and she grinned at the Venatori coming at her. In one powerful swing, Kassandra slashed the post and the oil onto the floor. She brandished the unused firebomb to the Venatori, and they lean back in fear. Kassandra hardly hesitates about throwing it right into the oil, detonating an explosion that creates a wall of fire between her and a swarm of Venatori forces. Some of the Venatori caught aflame, and others shrieked back from the proximity of the fire. They can see Kassandra on the other side of the flames flickering with righteous fury and appearing like Andraste herself rising from the reach of the flames. Her glower pierced fear into their hearts before she sprinted through the side gate, her plan all along. They wouldn't be following after her with how fast the flames were catching throughout Haven, threatening to burn what little remained down before Corypheus could.

Thundering down the path, Kassandra kept alert for enemies to appear at any given moment, and she growled like a lioness on the prowl. The inferno consuming Haven behind her cast haunting shadows across the path, and she could still hear the echo of screams belonging to the townspeople when the whole ordeal began. Those screams would never leave her for they were seared into her mind like the smell of smoke and blood and the cruel glint of fire. She spotted a few Venatori racing toward her, and she sped up her pace to meet them, slicing the first one across the throat with her spare dagger and plunging it into its neck. The next couple faced her disarming and stabbing blade, falling victim to an efficient two-step motion. The ground quickly proliferated in red splotches of spilled victory leaking from opened wounds and Kassandra's blade dragging a red trail through the snow. She marched forward with the ferocity of a caged beast, unstoppable and on a quest for blood. With a feral look in her eyes and a war song drumming away in her chest, Kassandra was ready for the possibility of fighting to her untimely demise, and that did not scare her. She walked with the Maker, and she believed in his guidance. If this was her end, so be it.

Above her in the blacked skies of the night and the smoke, Kassandra overheard the dragon roaring, and she was reminded of the task at hand. Most of the forces would feel her wrath through the avalanche she planned on dropping on Haven. The path was surprisingly devoid of enemy combatants, which made Kassandra's journey to the trebuchet quicker than anticipated. However, as she rounded the path's bend, Kassandra understood why she encountered the limited amount of forces outside of Haven—which she entrapped in various fires to blockade enemy forces stuck within its walls. Standing between her and the trebuchet was none other than Enchanter Fiona, armed with her staff and a stern expression.

"Herald," Fiona greeted, and there was a hollow echo to her voice, something eerily inhuman. Kassandra warily eyed the enchanter, and she already had her sword unsheathed, holding it between her and Fiona. She wondered if the Enchanter knew the extent of the Elder One's plans or their motivations. Maybe she could enlighten her, change her mind? But there was no time to turn her around. From the way Fiona clutched her staff, Kassandra knew that the two women would wage war. The only question: who would emerge victorious?

"Fiona," Kassandra curtly replied, and the blade glimmered in the faint light of the moon hanging overhead, a sordid mixture of tarnished steel and telltale red that meant the destruction of her new master's army. Fiona stared into Kassandra's eyes, and the wild look of a woman with absolutely nothing to lose returned a gaze that would make the bitterest blizzard seem inviting.

"I cannot let you thwart the Elder One." Fiona declared, and that's when Kassandra realized the hazy red glow of her eyes. The lyrium consumed her mind and left only a body to be manipulated. Kassandra bit down on her lip, figuring that Fiona truly was too far to save. Kassandra wished it didn't have to end with blood, but the Elder One wouldn't back down.

"So, a fight it is." Kassandra declared, and she rushed Fiona, who vanished and reappeared across the field. Fiona raised her staff into the air, and a stream of fire jettisoned toward Kassandra. Swiftly placing her shield between her and Fiona's attack, Kassandra utilized the few seconds bought to strategize. With a mage of Fiona's power, she would need to be three moves ahead at least. Kassandra circled around Fiona with the ferocity in her prowl, matching that of a wolf on the trail of blood. Fiona attempted another stream of fire directed at Kassandra, but she sidestepped the blast and used the diversion to charge. Kassandra darted by Fiona, but not after slicing a nice cut across the enchanter's cheek with the tip of her blade. Kassandra rolled onto her feet a little ways away from Fiona, who cradled the cut in one hand and hissed at the sting of the open wound against the air.

"Surrender to the Elder One!" Fiona declared sharply as if her words would convince Kassandra to lay down her weapons and cow down. Kassandra held back a downright inhuman growl from tearing out of her throat at the suggestion.

"Not happening!" Kassandra snarled, and she pulled out one of the bombs, striking the fuse and holding it for a couple seconds before throwing it straight for Fiona. The bomb detonated before she could teleport away from it, and the power of the blast knocked the mage off her feet. Kassandra capitalized on the blast's aftermath and rushed Fiona, who struggled to get onto her feet. There were some tears in her clothing and wounds inflicted from the bomb, which apparently included metal scraps for an additional and inhumane twist to the burns. Kassandra drew her blade up to Fiona's neck and pressed the tip insistently to draw a small pinprick of blood.

"You will lose." Fiona remarked, still fighting Kassandra through her words. Kassandra pressed her blade a little more, and a gasp escaped from Fiona. So, the pain was getting through to her that this was no matter Kassandra would accept lying down.

"I'm sorry, but this had to be done." Kassandra remarked, and she forcefully slammed the blunt side of her blade against Fiona's head, knocking the enchanter out cold. She slumped into the snow, and Kassandra managed to drag her off to the side. Sensing her dwindling time to stop the Elder One, Kassandra sprinted over to the trebuchet with the intent to get it started. She gripped at the wheel and gave it an experimental tug. She groaned with exertion but pushed harder against the stuck wheel. She dug her shoulder into the rounded spoke and nearly yelped with pain, but the extra force managed to free the wheel and get it moving. Kassandra quickly turned the wheel, and the trebuchet creaked to her commanding push. With every ounce of effort she poured into her pushes, Kassandra felt the wheel loosening and the trebuchet loading into place. When an audible click groaned from the wooden structure, Kassandra knew she accomplished her end, and all that remained was to bring the mountain crashing down at the signal from the others escaping.

The trebuchet was primed and at the ready for her to fire into the mountainside when the skin-crawling roar of the dragon echoed from right above her. Kassandra spotted the dragon careening straight for her and the trebuchet, flames broiling in its throat. Cursing some choice words under her breath, Kassandra barely dodged the concentrated stream of flames spouting from the dragon. The heat licked at her skin with a close call to touching her. The blast's power was enough to launch Kassandra back into the snow. She lifts her upper body from the snow and witnesses a figure wading through the fires set by the dragon: The Elder One. Up close, the creature was more hideous and disfigured than Kassandra anticipated, and she wondered what in Andraste's name could have possibly caused those wounds. From across the field of carnage, the two combatants lock eyes. The Elder One displayed a fury like fire, red-hot, and blistering. Kassandra, however, sported a glare of vengeance that could chill the most-heartless creature down to their soul like an ice queen. Kassandra felt a rumble behind her and whirled around to see the dragon reaching the ground, and she realized she was cornered. There was nothing left for her to do but fight.

"Enough! Pretender, you toy with forces beyond your ken. No more." The Elder One proclaimed, his voice gravelly and harsh. It was a voice Kassandra would recognize anywhere for how it haunted her nightmares related to her return to the Temple of Sacred Ashes. This creature was responsible for hundreds of deaths from the Conclave, the fight at Therinfal Redoubt, and the enslavement of the mages to the Venatori. He would pay for his actions, Kassandra swore it.

"Pretender? If you are name-calling, then I should call you murderer." Kassandra barked back, and she instinctively reached for her sword, which had fallen from her scabbard at some point. She huffed, and her eyes darted around for a discarded blade that one of the Venatori might have dropped, but nothing was in reach. She fixed her attention back on the Elder One and shook her hair out fiercely, "What do you want?"

"Mortals beg for truth they cannot have. It is beyond what you are. What I was." The Elder One mused, and his face was red in the shadows of the flames. He growled at Kassandra, "Know me. Know what you have pretended to be. Exalt the Elder One! The will that is Corypheus. You will kneel."

"I kneel to no monster like you." Kassandra retorted, her eyes flashing with a rebellious streak. If this monster thought she came out here alone to bow before him, then he had a whole another thing coming. Kassandra didn't come to surrender; she came to wage a damn war, and she would bring the one-woman army to Corypheus, and he better not underestimate her.

"I am here for the Anchor. The process of removing it begins now." Corypheus remarked as he clenched a carved orb in his hands, causing it to glow. He thrust out his free hand toward Kassandra, and somehow, her mark reacted in response. Stormy azure eyes glanced down at her mark glowing brightly like when she first had it. The energy surging on her hand made Kassandra grimace, and pain flickered through her eyes as swift and fleeting as lightning. "It was your fault, Herald. You interrupted a ritual years in the planning, and instead of dying, you stole its purpose. I do not know how you survived, but what marks you as 'touched,' what you flail at rifts, I crafted to assault the very heavens. And you used the Anchor to undo my work. The gall!" Corypheus indignantly scoffed while he strode closer to Kassandra, kneeling in the snow and grasping her hand.

"I am Kassandra Divina Trevelyan of House Trevelyan, noble daughter, and the Herald of Andraste! I will never let you take this gift bestowed to me by the most holy while there is still breath in my lungs." Kassandra's head lifted up, and her fighting back against Corypheus' attempted manipulation of her mark—"the Anchor" he called it—only served to further strain Corypheus. He hardly expected a fight from a bumbling mortal who ruined his plans to deliver the old empire of Tevinter back to its former glory. Her defiance angered him greatly; who did she think she was to challenge his destiny.

"Then I shall kill you for that 'gift' is a beacon I cannot allow to escape." Corypheus declared, and his hand grasped around her throat with a tightness to keep her conscious but uncomfortable. He lifted Kassandra to his eye level, which was a mistake for Kassandra spit in his face. She smirked victoriously at his startled hiss. Not cowering, Kassandra watched Corypheus wipes his face, and his eyes flash in deep-rooted anger. His voice thundered, "I once reached the Fade in the name of another, to serve the Old Gods of the Empire in person. I found only chaos and corruption. Dead whispers. For a thousand years, I was confused. No more. I have gathered the will to return under no name but my own, to champion withered Tevinter and correct this Blighted world. Beg that I succeed, for I have seen the throne of the Gods, and it was empty."

"I won't beg." Kassandra refused with her lip curling back into a furious scowl, and that infuriated Corypheus. He didn't understand why this pathetic worm of a mortal continued to resist when she was facing her certain death by toying with him. Corypheus tightened his grip around her neck, and Kassandra grimaced but didn't brace herself for Corypheus to throw her. Kassandra's body slammed into the wooden trebuchet, and she suppressed a startled yelp when her midsection flared up in pain from the impact. She heard a muted crunch, and the pain that accompanied the aftermath made Kassandra consider a cracked rib. Lying on the trebuchet, Kassandra grimaced and spit out blood when she made unshakable eye contact with Corypheus. The gesture was defiant, which inflated Corypheus' disgust of Kassandra and the other mortals standing in his way—knowing she wasn't working alone.

"The Anchor is permanent. You have spoiled it with your stumbling." Corypheus growled when Kassandra staggered back, ono her feet while grabbing her sword discarded nearby. She placed the blade between her and Corypheus, the threat of the blade not intimidating him into backing down. The dragon fearsomely roared, but Kassandra held her ground. "So be it. I will begin again, find another way to give this world the nation—the god—it requires." While Corypheus droned on about himself, Kassandra noticed a bright flare exploding into the air where the mountain pass was estimated to be over the tree line, and Kassandra knew that was Cullen's signal to her that they all made it out.

"They made it…" She whispered and felt tears welling up in her eyes. They made it over the mountain to safety, and now, she owed it to every person in that band of fleeing refugees to end things. She only hoped that they could forgive her for bringing a mountain down on their home.

"—And you, I will not suffer even an unknowing rival. You must die." Corypheus' snarl caught Kassandra's attention once more, and she noticed him slowly advancing on her. She might die, but not by his hand. She glanced at the trebuchet crank beside her. For a moment, Kassandra had no retort to Corypheus, but a spiteful smirk crosses her lips, and her eyes narrow.

"See you in hell," Kassandra growled and swiftly kicked the trebuchet's crank, launching the device into action. Corypheus and his dragon fixedly watched as the boulder loaded into the trebuchet slam against the mountain's side and spur a downpour of snow and rocks tumbling down onto Haven. They turned to face the insolent woman that interfered with their plans once more to see Kassandra sprinting as fast as she could away from them. Kassandra felt the rumble of the impending avalanche and heard the piercing roar of the dragon behind her but didn't stop running. She wanted to get as far as she could and pray for a miracle of the Maker's mercy that she might survive this ordeal. Corypheus and his dragon retreated as the rocks collapsed on Haven. The sheer force of the mountain crashing down knocked her off her feet and overtook her. Kassandra blindly crashed into something hard and slipped into blackness before the pain could resonate. In the seconds before she succumbed to the control of unconsciousness, Kassandra breathed out one word that sounded incoherent, but she hoped that he could hear her silent plea from the other side of the mountain.

She was sorry.


	17. XVII: From the Mountains' Ashes

XVII: From the Mountains' Ashes

Beyond the consuming blackness, Kassandra felt a pain so overwhelming that it bordered on the edge of numbness. She struggled to determine whether she was barely alive after the mountain fell on Haven or the tumble from her last-ditch effort to stop Corypheus finally delivered her to the Fade. She couldn't distinguish if she was even breathing as the crushing pain originated from her chest, the pressure threatening to cave in any moment. Then, the cold began to seep in between the pain and invaded her down to her bones. How long she hovered in a state of impaired consciousness was lost on her as mere moments drew out to the length of eternities. Eventually, her eyes fluttered open and dealt with the bleary, blurry hue cast over the world around her. Lying on the rocky ground, Kassandra allowed her vision to trickle back into clarity while she surveyed her surroundings. The cave was mostly dark, save for the bluish glow of the ice coating the walls, and quite damp to where it impaired her ability to breath… or was that the cracked rib and various injuries sustained from her spat with Corypheus, a name which pierced her soul with fear.

Shifting her body around was enough to make several points of pain flare up, and Kassandra knew to get back onto her feet was out of the question for the moment. She fumbled around blindly and managed to pull out an unbroken healing potion Adan made special before the second march on the Breach. Kassandra hissed when she noticed that she earned a cut on the back of her hand, likely from sifting through and brushing up against a shard of broken glass. Fighting with the cork sealing back her salvation, Kassandra mumbled a few unsavory curses and managed to wiggle it open. She lifted her head off the ground. She brought the potion to the edge of her lips, trickling the liquid down her throat and suppressing several coughs as the substance burned down her throat. She closed her eyes and slumped back, waiting for the potion to take effect. A slight warmth that Kassandra could only compare to the brush of sunlight trickling down from the sky as she rode horseback through the fields beside her family's estate back in Ostwick pulsed through her and slowly, the injuries she collected in her fight to save Haven began to mend. By the time the warmth dissipated, most of the injuries were completely healed. While she didn't feel completely restored, Kassandra knew she was treated enough to function and fight if she should have to. She had no clue where she was or even how she survived the avalanche, except to acknowledge that Andraste's hand guided her through danger, and her lady demanded a higher purpose from her life.

Rolling onto her side with a muted groan of pain, Kassandra winced and rocked up to a seated position. From there, she could finally muster the strength to stand, ignoring the rush of dizziness slamming into her head. She focused on the path ahead of her, and the faint dripping sound anchored her back into the real world.

She was alive, she made it.

Kassandra began walking toward the bridge, taking her time while she acclimated to her injuries. She limped toward the bridge and entered a rocky tunnel, careful to avoid tripping on the uneven terrain. If she was cautious, Kassandra assumed she would be alright.

That was until she spotted a light up ahead. All seemed to be turning for the better until a green twinkle exploded into power. Kassandra's eyes frightenedly enlarged when she turned the corner in the damp cave and nearly ran into some demons of the Fade, who hissed and growled at her. Although some of them didn't have eyes, Kassandra felt their attention fixated on her hand, and she knew they must have been drawn to her mark. With her right hand, she reached to her hip where her scabbard should be and felt nothing there. She cursed when she realized she lost her sword in the aftermath of Haven falling on her and Corypheus; she was virtually defenseless. She staggered back from the shades slithering uncomfortably closer to her. She cried out in pain, not from her various injuries associated with her fall but her mark. She swallowed at how the mark pulsed, and she could see the sickly green energy of the Fade trickling through her visible veins. Another ripple of pain caused Kassandra to keel over and release a bloodcurdling scream that spooked the demons. They continued to edge closer to their intended prey, and Kassandra threw her hands out in front of her, screaming once more when an unprompted blast of energy arced from her fingertips. The recoil tossed her backward at least a foot, and she staggered onto her knees to watch the explosion transform into a rift. Horrified, Kassandra witnessed the demons wail and vanish into the rift before it sealed shut without her so much as moving. She trembled from the evaporation of adrenaline and the biting chill of the Fereldan winter combined while struggling to piece together her next move.

"I need to get to the camp and let them know I survived," Kassandra mumbled through her addled state of mind due to the pain. Numbness sloshed around in her body—murky and disorienting. Gathering whatever strength she still possessed after her encounter with Corypheus, Kassandra stumbled through the empty cave. The color drained from her face when she stepped through the mouth of the cave and found herself faced with a roaring blizzard standing between her and the others. She steeled herself with a sharp, pointed exhale and a determined glare as she stepped out of the protection of the cave and into the blizzard's embrace.

She would make it through or die trying; _the Inquisition needed her_.

Kassandra gasped aloud when the wind and snow slammed against her with the force of a battle nug stampede. Her teeth chattered, and she knew her possibly torn, and damp clothing would be little protection, and she lost some of her armor in the scuffle and subsequent fall. The shivering began immediately when Kassandra stepped through the snow to where she could hardly hear the wind howl or her boots crunching over the chattering of her teeth. Kassandra stumbled past a burnt wagon, and she hoped that meant she walked the right path. She passed by an empty piece of equipment, which was cold to the touch when she brushed by it.

After an unmeasurable set of time on the road, the distant cry of wolves sent Kassandra into a panic, forcing her to move marginally faster than before. Her footfalls came faster as she slipped in the direction of the snowcapped trees, watching with some horror as the sturdy trunks violently swayed under the blizzard's forceful wind. Walking through the trees, Kassandra's head snapped around a couple of times and vague confusion registered. Didn't she pass that tree already? Was she lost, going in circles while the blizzard worsened?

"For she who trusts in the Maker, fire is her water. As a moth sees light and goes toward flame, she should see fire and go towards Light. The Veil holds no uncertainty for her, and she will know no fear of death…" Kassandra recited through a full-body shiver when a particularly forceful gust of blizzard rammed against her, knocking her off her feet and sent her toppling into the snow. Kassandra bit back a muffled cry when her whole body wailed in agony, and some of her open wounds tainted the fresh snow in fickle drops of scarlet. The harsh voice in the back of her mind doubtingly persuaded that she should give in and resign herself to be with the Maker, where pain no longer plagued her. She thought about those possibly waiting for her at the forward camp of Varric and Cassandra and Josephine and Cullen. Would they mourn her? Kassandra lifted her head up as tears steadily rolled down her frost-bitten cheeks, but her heart lurched when she caught sight of a black, blurry object through the snowfall. Squinting, Kassandra recognized it as another load of discarded equipment which signaled the Inquisition was nearby, and she was jolted by a sudden burst of strength. She crawled a few paces through the snow before she managed to regain her footing. Turning her head to the sky, Kassandra silently praised the Maker for a renewal of hope within her weary soul. She ambled over to the equipment while continuing her recitation of the Chant of Light, her way of keeping her mind off the pain assaulting her whole body. "…For the Maker shall be her beacon and her shield, her foundation, and her sword." Kassandra gasped out as she made it to the pile of discarded equipment and noticed the still live embers surrounding her. That meant these fires were fairly recent, and the Inquisition was within her reach; Kassandra was nearly safe. Wrapping her arms around her torso to mitigate the shivering, Kassandra boldly faced the final, horrid throes of the storm, and she set her jaw before marching on.

"O Maker, hear my cry! Guide me through the blackest nights. Steel my heart against the temptations of the wicked. Make me to rest in the warmest places. O Creator, see me kneel! For I walk only where you would bid me, stand only in places you have blessed, sing only the words you place in my throat. My Maker, know my heart! Take from me a life of sorrow. Lift me from a world of pain. Judge me worthy of your endless pride. My Creator, judge me whole! Find me well within your grace. Touch me with fire that I be cleansed. Tell me I have sung to your approval. O Maker, hear my cry! Seat me by your side in death. Make me one within your glory and let the world once more see your favor. For you are the fire at the heart of the world and comfort is only yours to give." Kassandra whispered as she blinked away the black spots in her eyes. Despite her words slurring together in the same way as a drunkard stumbling from a tavern, Kassandra perfectly recited a verse from _Transfigurations_ that she recalled from her earliest childhood memory. She hardly realized she made it through the blizzard from how hard she trembled. Her movements were jerky, instinctual as she moved one lurch of her body at a time. She stumbled past the second piece of equipment left behind but did not stop for it, continuing her march for she would not stop until she found the Inquisition. Crystallized frost invaded her skin and eyelashes in splotches of red irritation, and her clothes were bloody and torn, which Kassandra paid notice to for the first time. The ends of her breaths faded off, and Kassandra crumpled onto her knees.

"There! It's her!" Cullen's voice bellowed, and Kassandra's head blearily lifted at the sound. Her heart raced in her ears so loud that she could hardly make out what Seeker Pentaghast replied. Her eyes settled on Cullen, who must have sprinted ahead of the search party. Cullen gasped something out she couldn't hear at all and raced toward her.

"Cullen…" Kassandra weakly stated while she reached out for him before the world violently turned, and she collapsed into the snow, blackness overcoming her.


	18. XVIII: The Arrival of the Dawn

XVIII: The Arrival of the Dawn

It had been hours since the siege of Haven by the Elder One and Cullen hardly spent a moment waiting like most of his cohorts and counterparts. When he and the other leaders of the Inquisition believed they were a safe distance from Corypheus, the refugees made quick work of establishing a camp and the only thing left to do was wait for any sign of the Herald. For the first couple of hours, Cullen remained vigilantly perched at the edge of the camp and posted himself there, hoping to see any sign of Kassandra's triumph… or her untimely demise. The latter option caused a red-hot slice of pain to rip through Cullen's stomach, reminding him of his early days of lyrium withdrawals characterized by pain that made him contemplate if he were better off dead or crawling back to the substance that enslaved him. The pain was still there but it was eclipsed by his distracted state, managing to be an annoyance rather than a hindrance.

After a while, Cullen found himself discontent with waiting around for a sign and the agony threatened to consume him entirely. So, he pulled aside some of the companions with the intention of organizing a search party. He pulled aside those who seemed similarly restless and Varric, who he knew forged a close friendship with Kassandra, to discuss the idea of a search party.

"She would do the same if it were one of us." Varric remarked and Cullen knew he was right. In his mind, Cullen could see those eyes of hers—stormy blue with the tendency to twinkle like a pair of burgeoning, breathtaking stars. Her laugh echoed in his mind, sweet and melodic, but the thought that she was out there alone caused the sound to haunt him. He, Varric, Cassandra, and the Iron Bull informed Leliana and Josephine of their intentions and departed from the camp without lingering behind to hear the protests that they should stay and wait. Whether they found Kassandra buried under the rocks in Haven and it took days to retrieve her, they would. She deserved more than to be left behind and a proper burial; Cullen would see to it himself if he had to.

They began trekking up the steep, snowy hill they traveled with Chancellor Roderick guiding them to safety. Cullen regretted not fighting harder to stay behind, but Kassandra insisted she needed to stop Corypheus without endangering any life aside from her own. None of the companions complained when Cullen insisted he takes point as they could see the distressed gleam in his eye and that told a thousand tales of guilt, regret, and worry. Cullen passed a torch he grabbed before departing the camp to Lady Cassandra standing behind him, needing someone to illuminate the way. The flame carried a decent radius of light and the search party ambled together through the snowy night, some with more hope than others. Midway through their march, Cullen swore he heard matching footsteps to a different rhythm just over the crest of the hill. Around the third time he encountered that sound, Cullen could no longer keep himself back. Without warning, he dashed ahead of his companions to their confusion and rocketed toward the crest of the hill. W

He felt the breath knocked out of his lungs when he reached the apex of the hill where he threw the flare mere hours before and he nearly fell onto his knees. By the Maker, he could hardly believe his eyes when he saw Kassandra staring back at him with tears brimming in her eyes; she was bruised and bleeding but alive. When he watched the mountain fall on Haven, his heart sank like a stone in water and his throat closed when wondering the possibilities of her making it out alive. The chances were slim, and Cullen feared the worst for Kassandra. Never in his imagination would he have ever considered Kassandra braving her way through the storm after escaping death. She was alive, but the battle was not won yet. He called back to his companions that he found her and he heard Lady Cassandra's praise to the Maker, but Cullen felt tunnel vision overcome him to where all other noised faded to muteness in the background. Without delay, Cullen sprinted to Kassandra and watched as she crumpled into the snow after calling out his name. His boots crunched through the white, ice mush as he staggered to Kassandra, lying unconscious.

"Hold on," Cullen whispered as he sank to his knees before her, gritting his jaw and scooping Kassandra into his arms. He grunted when he touched her bare skin through a tear in her clothes; she was as cold as ice. Feeling her shiver and whimper in his arms steeled Cullen's determination. Cullen rose to his feet with the Herald securely held in his arms and sprinted back to the Inquisition camp. He passed by Cassandra, Varric, and the Iron Bull, who comprised the little search party he assembled to soothe his mind without so much as a word. As he hurtled toward the makeshift camp the fleeing Inquisition slapped together, Cullen banished all the raging emotions clouding his mind from clarity when he needed absolute, untainted focus. His relief at Kassandra's return, his unspeakable anger directed toward the Elder One, his worries about keeping the Inquisition afloat, and his past fears about losing Kassandra underneath the crushing weight of the mountain were all shoved to the side to focus on the task at hand: keeping Kassandra alive. He managed to glance down at Kassandra in between labored breaths and somehow doubled his quickened pace when he noticed the pain written on her face. Seeing her like this, so pale and empty compared to her lively disposition, made Cullen swallow roughly. There was this magnetizing aura that Kassandra possessed that drew people to her. Cullen found himself beguiled closer than he should appropriately be on many occasions. Without it, there was something missing. Before they shut, her eyes were filled with horror and pain that Cullen might never forget… no matter how hard he tried to. Breathing hard, Cullen swiftly approached the borders of the camp and he noted how close help was.

"The Commander has returned—and he has the Herald with him!" One of the soldiers guarding the perimeter bellowed for all to hear and his declaration set forth an instantaneous chain of events. The refugees, hearing the Herald was there, poured out from the camp in massive clusters with shock and frenzy breaking throughout their ranks. People rushed from all areas of the camp as the soldier's declaration carried across the vast mountain walls like an echo. Some of the refugees were crying while others were stunned into silence, witnessing all together as the Commander of the Inquisition arrived at the foot of the camp with the Herald of Andraste in his arms.

"She survived?"

"It's a miracle!"

"The Maker has blessed her!"

"She truly is the Herald of Andraste as she walks with Andraste's guidance."

A flurry of whispers rang out from the crowd and the refugees slowly circled around Cullen and Kassandra, surrounding them from all sides. Some of the refugees reached out to touch Kassandra with the lofty hopes that the Maker's blessing over her, which many assumed delivered her from death, might affect their lives and bring much-needed prosperity. Using his imposing figure, Cullen shielded Kassandra from the sea of prying hands and shoved his way through with an evident sense of urgency. However, there were too many people surrounding them and pushing inward in a suffocating manner.

"Enough! Back away!" Cullen roared over the hushed whispers and a wave of silence rippled through the crowd, ceasing all noise from the refugees. Those reaching out to touch Kassandra retracted their hands nervously, not wanting to further anger the Lion of Fereldan. Cullen's amber eyes glowed in the dusky setting of the harsh winter's night and the faint light of the fire cast shadows across his fierce glare. The way he cradled Kassandra protectively against his chest was to preserve some warmth and limit her exposure to the cold, but that could only help her so much. Kassandra needed urgent medical attention from the healers or the mages on hand. "Move!" Cullen barked in a fury and the crowds parted before him, a clear path to help emerging. Cullen strode forward in a brisk march and spared a concerned glance for Kassandra, still unconscious in his arms but arguably shivering less.

From the sidelines, Leliana and Josephine and the inner circle of companions anxiously watched on while the Commander stormed past. For all those present, they knew this moment would forever change the course of the Inquisition and touch the lives of individuals within the crowd. Whether she lived or died that night, Kassandra Trevelyan's heroism would never be forgotten.

Cullen arrived outside the last empty medical tent and ducked underneath the flaps once they were opened by Mother Giselle from within. Inside, Dorian stood solemnly and hardly glanced in Cullen's direction before racing to prepare the room. From Dorian's experience, he knew time was a luxury they did not have. Mother Giselle closed the flaps of the tent to keep the bitter, wintry wind out. The room darkened and was lit with only a few candles contained in lanterns keeping the darkness from closing in. Cullen delicately lowered Kassandra onto the makeshift cot and he instinctively pressed one of his calloused hands, from years of battle and bloodshed, against her cheek to realize her skin was still ice cold.

"If I may, I can begin the process of healing her injuries. That will also manage the below normal body temperature she has." Dorian suggested from where he stood on the opposing side of the cot from Cullen and his eyes fixated on Kassandra, formulating a triage plan to tackle her injuries and ailments from her fight with the Elder One. In the corner of the room, Mother Giselle stepped forward and cleared her throat, seemingly uncomfortable with Dorian's offer. She nearly suggested that she could fetch Madame De Fer when Cullen nodded.

"Do what you must. Save her." Cullen declared as he wanted no delays in treating Kassandra for her injuries. His eyes turned downward to meet Kassandra's pale, frost-covered face and he felt his stomach twist into knots. Dorian nodded but gave Cullen a wryly arched brow when the Commander didn't move from his place by Kassandra's side.

"I am going to request that you clear the room, Commander. In order to regain a stable body temperature, I need to strip Kassandra of her wet clothing and that might encompass all of her clothes…" Dorian informed bluntly and watched as the implication attached to the end of his statement was enough to make the faintest redness creep onto Cullen's cheeks and swallow roughly. Cullen awkwardly turned to Mother Giselle, who gave him a knowing nod; she would remain here to make sure that nothing happened to Kassandra and to alert for additional help should things go awry. Wordlessly, Cullen slipped the fur mantle from his shoulders and draped the garment in Mother Giselle's arms. He walked straight out of the tent, ignored all the curious eyes fixed on him, and settled along the edge of the camp where he sank onto one knee. Clasping his hands together, Cullen bowed his head to brush his forehead against his knee in prayer. Flowing from his lips like a steady stream, Cullen recited a downright desperate prayer to the Maker. His prayer was frantic yet thorough; he hardly felt surprised that Kassandra's name left him multiple times in his prayer. She had a funny habit of doing that as of late, ending up in his prayers when his mind suddenly drifted onto her instead, whether it was her smile or her laugh or those bewitching eyes of hers that ensnared his attention away from his mandatory prayers. Cullen would never have considered himself a begging man, but that changed with Kassandra's life teetering on the edge. He begged the Maker that his servant in Kassandra, unlike himself, deserved the mercy only the most holy or blessed Andraste could provide.

"Commander- Cullen…" Cullen's head lifted from his prayer and he glanced over his shoulder, knowing Cassandra stood behind him from her distinguishing Nevarran accent. She looked somewhat apologetic and Cullen wondered how concerning his state was; Cassandra hardly made her concern visible unless someone was in terrible condition. "Leliana and Josephine wish to discuss our next moves." Cassandra informed and Cullen turned back to face the mountains flanking the Inquisition camp, sighing deeply. Cullen stood up and he hoped that his prayers were heard by the Maker because he and the Inquisition needed Kassandra.

Back in the closed-off tent, Kassandra's unconscious body laid and protected in the fur mantle gifted by Cullen for that purpose. Her face was no longer pained, and Dorian applied a warm compress to her forehead to warm up her skin. Ridding her of her wet clothing was the first step and that significantly increased her chances of survival. He frowned down at Kassandra, knowing that he did what he could for her condition and that only good fortune might determine if she made it through the night. Needing some much-needed air and some more hot water for additional warm compresses, Dorian headed out of the tent and left Kassandra alone.

All was quiet in the tent, keeping out the sound of arguing among the Inquisition's advisory council and the chorused prayers of the sisters of Haven's chantry. The Inquisition camp was stilled while they waited for their Herald, their hero, to wake up.

 _Standing outside Trevelyan Estate, the exquisite seaside manor she grew up in, Kassandra tapped the toe of her leather riding boots against the ground and drew her coat closer to her body. That morning would begin her journey to the Divine Conclave, a historic event for all Thedas and the hopeful cure to the Mage-Templar War. The Divine Conclave was to be held in the Frostback Mountains at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. With the backdrop of holy ground, everyone of elevated status in Thedas would be there. This was Kassandra's first trip outside of Ostwick without her parents and the prospect of some freedom was enticing to her. She was twenty-five years of age; she was a young woman in her own right._

 _"Are you excited about the journey?" Theo inquired while adjusting the fit of his right pauldron, inspecting his uniform as a member of the city guard for any errors. Kassandra planned on agreeing that she was quite thrilled for the prospects this journey might bring to those within the Maker's favor. This was an opportunity for Kassandra to grow in her own right, outside the Trevelyan clan. She opened her mouth to comment when the three overheard a screech. Upon further inspection, Kassandra realized it was Iva who screeched at one of the horses when it tried to munch on her unbraided hair. A slew of laughter arose from her other cousins with Peter, the youngest of the five Trevelyans on the trip, nearly tumbling from his horse's saddle with how hard he was laughing._

 _"Maker, preserve me." Kassandra mumbled lowly, but loud enough for her brothers to hear her and snicker in agreement. Theo and Aleksander understood the strained relationship between Iva and Kassandra all too well from numerous of uncomfortable parties where Florence and his daughter were in attendance._

 _"I am certain you will be fine," Theo assured Kassandra with a pat on her shoulder, which turned into a hug when Kassandra threw her arms around her brother. She and Theo were the closest of the siblings as they were a year apart in age. Theo was the one who taught her to spar and allowed her to watch his swordplay lessons until she surpassed his skills. Alec walked over and wrapped his arms around his younger siblings._

 _"Besides, you might charm the breeches off some people in high places and those connections will strengthen House Trevelyan." Alec remarked teasingly but Kassandra knew her brothers believed in her. They knew that she was charming and delicate, skills useful in persuasion. If anyone of the Trevelyan line might secure alliances with other families, it would be Kassandra. Kassandra's head lifted when she saw a horse being trotted out for her. Her personal mount, Aria, was feeling under the weather and Kassandra chose to let Aria stay behind and recuperate. The ride down to the docks where they would take a boat ride to Fereldan was short, but Kassandra preferred that Aria regain her strength for their regular trips through the Ostwick wilderness and along the white sand shores of the beaches. Her brothers escorted her to where her horse was held by her parents. Kassandra wrapped her father and mother in her arms and she could feel their nervousness at letting her go. They had no need to worry. She had her sword packed in her saddlebag and she could fend for herself._

 _"Be safe, my daughter…" Her father, Hugo, pleaded and he kissed his daughter's forehead, a familiar gesture for Kassandra. He had done the same thing before she went to bed every night from the time she was a little girl. Her father protected her as best as he could and took into account her wishes to marry for love, which greatly angered his brother._

 _"I will, papa." Kassandra promised, knowing that she would be cautious throughout the entire journey and try to keep her cousins from dying of their own stupidity. With Theo's hand helping her, she slipped one leg into the stirrup of her mount's saddle and vaulted the rest of her body onto the saddle. Kassandra appeared like an image of grace while on horseback and she smiled at the sea breeze rustling through her hair. There was never a more freeing sensation than riding horseback to Kassandra._

 _"May the Maker be with you, Kassandra." Her mother, Aurora, whispered while dabbing at her eyes. Tears of pride welled up to see her daughter, her pride and joy mounted on the back of a horse and prepared to make House Trevelyan proud. Kassandra gave her mom a gentle squeeze of her hand before she took the reins. Kassandra clicked her tongue against her cheek and her horse snorted as it began to trot toward the gate. Her cousins, gathered in their small cluster, realized Kassandra was heading out and shrieked at her to wait for them as they nudged their horses toward the gate. Kassandra reluctantly waited for them at the golden gates, which were being opened by the servants. She glanced over her shoulder at her home with a nostalgic smile; she would be back soon._

In the next breath, the memory faded away and was replaced by a blurry vision of what Kassandra swore was red fabric all around her. After blinking a few times, her vision cleared and she pointed out the features that reminded her of an Inquisition tent. However, she had no clue where she really was. She sat up without difficulty and nearly missed how the fur mantle covering her naked body slipped off her breasts and pooled around her waist. She quickly tugged it back up and secured it by wrapping her arms around herself. Then, it dawned on her who the mantle belonged to in the first place—turning her cheeks a bright scarlet color at the thought of Commander Cullen, who likely carried her back to the Inquisition's camp. Due to him and the gracious bestowment of his prized fur mantle, among other noble and selfless acts, she was alive. Kassandra tilted her head up to the sky and gave a silent, heartfelt thanks to the Maker and Andraste for her survival through this ordeal as her voice seemed momentarily gone.

"Ah, you're awake. I'm glad to see my skills are still adequate for…living subjects." Dorian remarked wryly when he strolled back into the tent with a cauldron of heated water and a dry rag in hand, his tone conveying that he knew his skills would be more than sufficient in the first place. Kassandra attempted to speak, but only some brusque coughs came out where words should have been. Dorian seemed to understand Kassandra's intent and nodded his head. "No need to thank me. It's honestly nothing short of a miracle that you pulled through," Dorian solemnly revealed and Kassandra blinked. She appreciated his honesty however blunt he delivered it. Dorian set the cauldron down by the side of the cot and leaned over to a crate where a pair of clothing rested.

"Are… these for me?" Kassandra managed to cough out and her voice sounded raspy and barely there. She accepted the clothes from Dorian without losing the cloak from around her chest. Her hands were shaking and she forced herself to steady them enough to confidently hold onto the garments.

"They are some spare uniforms from one of Leliana's recruits as they were the closest to your measurements." Dorian confirmed and he turned his back to Kassandra while he headed for the door, giving her some space to change. Once the tent flaps closed behind him, Kassandra quickly slipped into the clothing and sighed at how relieving dry clothes were compared to being soaked to the bone. The blouse was plain and a little snug as were the pants, but they would do for now. She struggled to walk, still regaining her bearings from her brief dance with the brink of death. She gripped the nearest object, which happened to be the cot, and steadied herself until the world stopped spinning. When she re-opened her eyes, Kassandra noticed the fur mantle sprawled out across the cot and she picked it back up. The fur was warm and comforting to her touch as she slid the cloak over her shoulders and gripped it closer to her body. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back to face the ceiling while composing herself with a shaky breath. Kassandra moved to the flaps of the tent and burst through them, ready to face whatever awaited her outside.

With her emerging from the tent, Kassandra drew all eyes to her and silence befell the Inquisition camp as the refugees, inner circle, and advisors all gawked at Kassandra. They believed she fell with the mountain, but there she stood—a little pale and tired, yet she was alive. Her eyes swept across the crowd and locked onto Cullen's from where he stood off to the side. Kassandra drew the fur cloak closer to her, a gesture that drew a twitch at Cullen's lips. Mother Giselle walked up to her and the crowd dispersed. She did not remove her eyes from Cullen's as Mother Giselle spoke to her.

"You are awake. How do you feel?" Mother Giselle asked as she sensed the weariness dragging on Kassandra's soul, the emotional fatigue that shrouded her like the cold air enshrouded the fledgling Inquisition. Kassandra blinked and swallowed; was she okay? She had yet to fully process her willingness to embrace death and brush with it at the hands of Corypheus.

"Awful," Kassandra mumbled and she avoided Mother Giselle's eyes because they shone with pity directed toward her. Even after surviving a near-death experience, the last thing Kassandra desired from people was their pity. She hated the feeling of being pitied. She flinched when she heard Cullen with his voice raised, her mind flashing back to their argument before the mountain fell… when she told him she would be staying behind.

"-What would you have me tell them? This isn't what we asked them to do!" Cullen barked, slicing through the revered silence with the ease of a sharpened blade. Kassandra turned to watch and saw Leliana, Josephine, Cullen, and Cassandra gathered in a small circle. Their voices were raised and the whole camp likely heard every word.

"We cannot simply ignore this! We must find a way!" Cassandra firmly replied, adamant on whatever they were discussing before Kassandra interrupted them by waking up.

"And who put you in charge? We need a consensus, or we have nothing." Cullen snapped back, instigating a notch of tension to kick up. The air surrounding the advisors was thick with uneasiness and it seemed the refugees were actively avoiding the area.

"How long have they been at it?" Kassandra whispered to Mother Giselle, not wanting to draw their attention onto her quite yet. She watched them bicker with her chest constricting uncomfortably. How could they argue in a time like this when their next moves should be meticulously planned out? Fighting now was a dangerous course of action, but it was all too human.

"Please, we must use reason! Without the infrastructure of the Inquisition, we're hobbled-!" Josephine interjected pleadingly and out of the group, she seemed the most broken up with the fighting. Kassandra understood that; Josephine preferred diplomacy and reason to harshness and words that were spoken without thought behind them.

"That can't come from nowhere!" Cullen growled and Josephine physically flinched back, not used to Cullen being so outwardly aggressive. Sure, the war room meetings could occasionally get heated but there was something different to his anger than before. She felt a steady hand on her shoulder and saw a flash of purple before she realized Leliana put herself between her and Cullen. Leliana narrowed her eyes at Cullen, enraged by him.

"She didn't say it could!" Leliana snarled in Josephine's defense, sensing a threat coming from Cullen's hostile attitude. They were all tired and frustrated, which was no excuse in her eyes. Cullen glared down at her with a look she partly recognized in herself. Josephine urged Leliana back with a hand on her shoulder, wanting to stop the fighting.

"Hours," Mother Giselle frowned and she wrung her hands nervously, clearly at unease with the public debating between the advisors. The refugees need not see the cracks of division slipping between their leadership. "Infighting might threaten this as much as Corypheus. Our leaders struggle because of what we survivors witnessed. We saw our defender stand…and fall. And now, we have seen her return. This is hard to accept. What 'we' have come to endure, what 'we' have come to believe."

"Mother Giselle, I just don't see what I believe matters. It will take more than just faith to defeat Corypheus and I would not be surprised if this event turned some among us away from the Maker." Kassandra declared taciturnly and her eyes moved away, not interested in watching Mother Giselle's face fall in defeat and heartbreak at her words. Kassandra wished that she could just believe and that all their problems would be solved. But if she learned anything since the Conclave explosion, it is that blind faith cannot solve anything. It will take much more than faith in the Maker to stop Corypheus and restore the Inquisition to a place of power.

"Enough! This is getting us nowhere!" Cassandra bellowed chidingly, but her demand for a ceasefire hardly settled the simmering tensions. Cullen whirled on her with a dark gleam in his eye, one she knew. It was the gleam of worry and loss, of high-strung tension… and she knew it belonged to the woman who just walked out of the tent. They all had yet to process their grief, which was ultimately misplaced, and Cullen shouldered the most out of all of them. Cassandra was not blind; she knew how Cullen felt about Kassandra from the indescribable way his eyes lingered on her any time she entered a room.

"Herald-" Mother Giselle admonished and she reached out for Kassandra, sensing what she intended to do by the determined gleam in her eye. Kassandra barely survived the siege on Haven and, if not for the Maker's blessing, likely would have perished. She was in no condition to be flinging herself in the middle of stress by wading between the arguing leaders. "You need to rest,"

"They're arguing about what we need to do next. I need to be there." Kassandra declared and she hobbled past Mother Giselle, walking right for the advisors. Kassandra ignored the shocked looks she garnered. Most people would have caved in and focused on recovery, but Kassandra was not most people.

"Well, we're agreed on that much!" Cullen declared and Kassandra stormed her way over to the advisors, directing their attention on her. She appeared disappointed in them from the gleam in her eyes and of what they could see of her body language from underneath Cullen's fur cloak.

"Stop arguing!" Kassandra rasped out and the harsh coughs that followed behind enforced a shameful silence between the once arguing advisors. Her shoulders hunched over when she curled into herself to mask the coughs from pushing herself a bit too hard. Her eyes stung with tears and she blinked them away as he coughs faded. She glanced around to see where the advisors had gone in the separation. Sitting on the bench with Leliana on the floor beside her, Josephine buried her head in her hands. Cassandra loomed over the map and studied it; a disapproving scowl twisted across her face. Cullen stood off to the side and stared out at the mountains. Kassandra walked over to Cullen and he looked at her, a twinge of guilt stirring within him for the last words they spoke to each other. Those might have been the last words he ever said to her, but Cullen was glad they weren't. Kassandra reached for his fur cloak hanging around her shoulders, "This belongs to you."

"Keep it. You need to keep from being cold." Cullen responded and he stopped Kassandra from taking it off her shoulders. Their eyes met for the second time that snowy evening and this time, Kassandra did not look away. It was bizarre to see Cullen in his armor without the distinctive addition of his fur cloak; without it, there was more emphasis on his face. In different circumstances, it would have been funny. Those amber eyes observed Kassandra and part of Cullen wondered if this was even real. "I- I am glad you survived." Cullen stammered and Kassandra stared up at him with her eyes shimmering with returning life and her porcelain skin flushed a healthy pink from the cold. Her breath turned opaque as it parted through her lips and she noticed the cold started to slough away. Wordlessly, she reached out and grabbed his hand in hers, lacing their fingers together. A flush rose to Cullen's cheeks until he felt the slight tremble of her hand. Cullen realized that Kassandra was shaking, but it was no longer because of the cold. It became clear that she was frightened about what had happened and what might come next. Words didn't need to be spoken to convey that and the reassuring squeeze of his hand Cullen gave worked in the same way. He said everything would be alright.

"Shadows fall and hope has fled. Steel your heart. The dawn will come …The night is long and the path is dark. Look to the sky, for one day soon, the dawn will come…" Mother Giselle's solemn alto warbled through the forlorn silence and the contrast of her words was stark and undeniable. Kassandra's head perked up, a flashback to her childhood upon hearing the Chantry hymn. Her mother used to sing it to her when she was young and scared by storms. A forgotten memory of her past swore to become her battle cry, the Inquisition's last cling to hope. Tears welled in her eyes and her voice, although yearning to be heard, was too frail to join in.

"The shepherd's lost and his home is far. Keep to the stars. The dawn will come" Leliana and a few others chimed in with their voices, the hymn growing louder and echoing off the side of the mountain pass. With the stars twinkling above them, the words of the hymn sounded ordained. Kassandra felt Cullen's hand slip from hers and she understood; the moment was over.

"The night is long and the path is dark. Look to the sky, for one day soon, the dawn will come…" Cullen's voice joined in and the rest of the camp, except for Kassandra, followed his lead. Trickling from their tents and other parts of the camp, the fledgling Inquisition centered around their Herald.

"Bare your blade and raise it high. Stand your ground. The dawn will come… The night is long and the path is dark. Look to the sky, for one day soon, the dawn will come…" The refugees surrounded Kassandra and several of them kneeled before her. Kassandra watched the crowd follow one by one until she was the only one standing. As the final verse of the song ended, the refugees appeared more animated and like hope was restored.

"An army needs more than an enemy; it needs a cause." Mother Giselle advised Kassandra before she walked into the crowd, on her way to tend to the spiritual needs of the refugees. Kassandra thought about her advice carefully and curiously. An excellent point to be made. But it would have to be more than just vengeance for what they lost as vengeance wears down those who burn its torch for too long. She spotted Solas at the edge of the camp, taking in the sight of the refugees surrounding her. Hope, it seemed, was a far more powerful tool than anticipated. Kassandra walked over to him, sensing that he had something to say that required privacy.

"A wise woman worth heeding. Her kind understands the moments that unify a cause or fracture it. The orb Corypheus carried, the power he used against you… it is elvhen. Corypheus used the orb to open the Breach and unlocking it must have caused the explosion which destroyed the Conclave. I do not yet know how Corypheus survived… nor am I certain how people will react when they learn of the orb's origin." Solas informed when the two reached the edge of the camp, standing against the fresh snow and overlooking a snowy embankment. Kassandra processed his words, and she sighed, knowing Solas was correct. She knew how people would turn on a vulnerable target as a scapegoat to blame during times of crisis. The last thing the Inquisition needed was pointing fingers and alienating valuable allies. Elves deserved better than to bear the blame when it was no one's fault but Corypheus'.

"I am not surprised by the idea that people will react poorly and blame elves. There is no one to blame but Corypheus for what tragedy he has caused. If anyone believes otherwise, they can deal with me." Kassandra remarked sharply, a promise that she intended to keep.

"There are steps we can take to ensure that does not happen." Solas murmured, and Kassandra waited for him to elaborate. After a few moments of Solas fidgeting with his staff, which he designated to double as a walking stick, he sighed and gestured in the direction of the northeast from where the camp was. "During my journeys in the Fade, I heard of a fortress hidden somewhere in the Frostback Mountains. They called it Tarasyl'an Te'las, the translation loosely coming out to 'Skyhold'. From what the spirits told me, it has not been inhabited since the Third Blight and was enchanted by its presence on sacred elvhen grounds. I can convene with the spirits and see if they might guide me to this fortress." Solas explained and Kassandra's eyes widened. This Skyhold could very well be the Inquisition's new home after Haven's demise. More importantly, this was a sign that they could rebuild—even if things seemed to be in shambles.

"We leave at first light tomorrow." Kassandra decided and Solas nodded, willing to follow her lead. Kassandra took off back in the direction of the camp where the advisors awaited. She would take charge of the situation if she needed to and hoped that her presence might restore some faith to those following her. Corypheus intended to break their spirits with Haven's demise, but he gained much more than he bargained for. Instead of broken, Kassandra was livid and convinced to defeat him by whatever means necessary. Kassandra would savor the day that the sun rose and the dawn arrived after Corypheus' defeat by the Inquisition's hands.


End file.
